Asia Pacific stocks were mostly up on Wednesday morning, after U.S. shares set a fresh record after U.S. stimulus hopes overrode concerns about ever-rising COVID-19 cases globally.
The number of global COVID-19 cases passed the 68.1 million mark, with the number of U.S. cases passing the 15.1 million mark, as of Dec. 9, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
China’s #Shanghai Composite edged down 0.12% by 11:06 PM ET (3:06 AM GMT) while the #Shenzhen Component was down 0.55%. Data released earlier in the day showed that November’s consumer price index (CPI), came in below expectations, contracting 0.6% month on month and 0.5% year on year. This was the first decline in Chinese consumer prices seen since 2009.
The Producer Product Index (PPI) contracted 1.5% year-on-year.
Hong Kong’s #Hang Seng Index rose 1.21%. A new law will enable authorities to lock down parts of the city hit by COVID-19 for up to seven days. Restriction measures in the city have also been tightened further, with restaurants to stop dine-in services from 6pm onwards and gyms as well as beauty parlours ordered closed from Thursday as 100 new daily COVID-19 cases were recorded on Tuesday.
Japan’s #Nikkei 225 gained 1.09% and South Korea’s #KOSPI jumped 1.25%
In Australia, the #S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.66%. December's Westpac Consumer, released earlier in the day, saw its highest growth in a decade as it jumped to 4.1% against November’s 2.5% jump.
The number of global COVID-19 cases passed the 68.1 million mark, with the number of U.S. cases passing the 15.1 million mark, as of Dec. 9, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
China’s #Shanghai Composite edged down 0.12% by 11:06 PM ET (3:06 AM GMT) while the #Shenzhen Component was down 0.55%. Data released earlier in the day showed that November’s consumer price index (CPI), came in below expectations, contracting 0.6% month on month and 0.5% year on year. This was the first decline in Chinese consumer prices seen since 2009.
The Producer Product Index (PPI) contracted 1.5% year-on-year.
Hong Kong’s #Hang Seng Index rose 1.21%. A new law will enable authorities to lock down parts of the city hit by COVID-19 for up to seven days. Restriction measures in the city have also been tightened further, with restaurants to stop dine-in services from 6pm onwards and gyms as well as beauty parlours ordered closed from Thursday as 100 new daily COVID-19 cases were recorded on Tuesday.
Japan’s #Nikkei 225 gained 1.09% and South Korea’s #KOSPI jumped 1.25%
In Australia, the #S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.66%. December's Westpac Consumer, released earlier in the day, saw its highest growth in a decade as it jumped to 4.1% against November’s 2.5% jump.
#Asian shares boosted by vaccines hopes, Brexit deadline casts shadow
Asian shares bounced back on Friday as progress on #COVID-19 vaccines boosted investor sentiment, but tricky Brexit negotiations and U.S. stimulus talks capped gains in riskier assets.
MSCI's ex-Japan Asia-Pacific index rose 0.5%, on track for its sixth straight week of gains, while Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped 0.6%.
Investors bet on stronger economic growth next year as more countries prepare for vaccinations. U.S. authorities voted overwhelmingly to endorse emergency use of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine while doses of a COVID-19 vaccine made by China's Sinovac Biotech SVA.O are rolling off a Brazilian production line.
But buying fizzled out in some markets as talks on U.S. stimulus failed to make progress and after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday there was "a strong possibility" Britain and the EU would fail to strike a trade deal.
Mainland Chinese stocks were down by the early morning. The #Shanghai Composite fell by 1.21% to 3,332.18. Hong Kong’s #Hang Seng Index was down about 1.20% to 3333.75.
Japan's benchmark #Nikkei average. #Nikkei 225 is trading down 0.39 per cent at 26,652.00 on Friday, while the broader #TOPIX 100 rose 0.17 per cent at 1,150.38. South Korea’s #Kospi was up by 0.72% to 2,850.40.
Asian shares bounced back on Friday as progress on #COVID-19 vaccines boosted investor sentiment, but tricky Brexit negotiations and U.S. stimulus talks capped gains in riskier assets.
MSCI's ex-Japan Asia-Pacific index rose 0.5%, on track for its sixth straight week of gains, while Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped 0.6%.
Investors bet on stronger economic growth next year as more countries prepare for vaccinations. U.S. authorities voted overwhelmingly to endorse emergency use of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine while doses of a COVID-19 vaccine made by China's Sinovac Biotech SVA.O are rolling off a Brazilian production line.
But buying fizzled out in some markets as talks on U.S. stimulus failed to make progress and after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday there was "a strong possibility" Britain and the EU would fail to strike a trade deal.
Mainland Chinese stocks were down by the early morning. The #Shanghai Composite fell by 1.21% to 3,332.18. Hong Kong’s #Hang Seng Index was down about 1.20% to 3333.75.
Japan's benchmark #Nikkei average. #Nikkei 225 is trading down 0.39 per cent at 26,652.00 on Friday, while the broader #TOPIX 100 rose 0.17 per cent at 1,150.38. South Korea’s #Kospi was up by 0.72% to 2,850.40.