The Asian markets concluded Wednesday’s trade in red taking their lead from another sell-off on Wall Street, while Tokyo took a hit as the yen climbed against the dollar with profit-takers moving in following last week’s greenback rally. Indonesia’s central bank is widely expected to hold its key interest rate steady at a meeting scheduled on Thursday, in spite of a recent trade deficit, as the country’s inflation pace has declined and the rupiah has strengthened significantly this year. It is expected that Bank Indonesia may keep its reference rate steady at 7.50% for a fourth consecutive month.
Japanese Household Confidence rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 38.3, from 40.5 in the preceding month while Japanese tertiary industry activity index rose to a seasonally adjusted 0.9%, from -0.5% in the preceding month whose figure was revised down from -0.4%. Japan’s Corporate Goods Price Index fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.8%, from 2.4% in the preceding month. Japan’s BSI large manufacturing conditions rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 12.5, from 9.7 in the preceding quarter. South Korean Unemployment Rate rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.9%, from 3.2% in the preceding month.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 1997.69 | -3.47 | -0.17 |
Hang Seng | 21901.95 | -367.66 | -1.65 |
Jakarta Composite | 4684.38 | -19.83 | -0.42 |
KLSE Composite | 1818.60 | -9.95 | -0.54 |
Nikkei 225 | 14830.39 | -393.72 | -2.59 |
Straits Times | 3097.43 | -31.97 | -1.02 |
KOSPI Composite | 1932.54 | -31.33 | -1.60 |
Taiwan Weighted | 8684.73 | -17.60 | -0.20 |