#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.