Hang Seng Index rises as tech and property stocks gain, but US tariff threats weigh on Asian market sentiment, Nikkei drops 0.50% as trade fears offset upbeat export data; weaker yen fails to lift Japanese equities.
In Asian markets, the Hang Seng Index rose slightly by 0.01% on Wednesday morning. Investor sentiment was affected by the People's Bank of China's decision to maintain the Loan Prime Rates (LPRs) and concerns over potential US tariffs.
Despite this, real estate and technology stocks provided some support. The Hang Seng Mainland Property Index (HSMPI) increased by 0.25%, while the Hang Seng Tech Index gained 0.14%. Notably, tech giants Baidu (9888) and Tencent saw their shares rise by 0.96% and 0.62%, respectively, as investors looked ahead to NVIDIA's (NVDA) earnings report.
In contrast, Mainland China's equity markets faced downward pressure due to ongoing economic uncertainty. The CSI 300 and the Shanghai Composite fell by 0.34% and 0.14%, respectively.
Japanese stocks finished lower on Monday, with declines in the Real Estate, Shipbuilding, and Financial Services sectors driving the market down. The Nikkei 225 closed down by 1.05%.
Top Performers:
M3 Inc (TYO:2413): Up 5.64% (70.50 points) to 1,320.00.
Mercari Inc (TYO:4385): Increased 3.22% (62.00 points) to 1,987.00.
GS Yuasa Corp (TYO:6674): Rose 3.13% (82.00 points) to 2,705.00.
Worst Performers:
Dentsu Inc (TYO:4324): Down 10.01% (410.00 points) to 3,687.00.
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (TYO:4519): Fell 10.00% (714.00 points) to 6,427.00.
Aozora Bank, Ltd (TYO:8304): Decreased 7.30% (198.50 points) to 2,521.00.
On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones, with 1,888 losses compared to 1,712 gains, and 264 remained unchanged.
The Nikkei Volatility Index, which tracks the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, decreased by 4.76% to 23.22.
In commodities, January crude oil rose 0.24% to $67.08 per barrel. Brent oil for January increased 0.31% to $71.26 per barrel, while December gold futures climbed 0.73% to $2,588.90 per troy ounce.
On Tuesday, November 19, US equity markets experienced a mixed session. The Nasdaq Composite Index and the S&P 500 continued their upward momentum from Monday, rising by 1.04% and 0.40%, respectively. In contrast, the Dow declined for the second consecutive session, falling 0.28%.
Super Micro Computer (SMCI) made headlines with a notable surge of 31%, while Tesla (TSLA) saw an increase of 2.14%. The rise in Tesla's stock was fueled by expectations that the Trump administration may relax regulations on self-driving technology.
On Wednesday, November 20, the People’s Bank of China maintained the 1-year and 5-year loan prime rates (LPR) at 3.1% and 3.6%, respectively. The decision disappointed investors hoping for further policy measures to boost demand.
CN Wire remarked on the LPR decision, saying that the PBoC could cut the LPRs further, considering China’s ongoing economic challenges.
When considering shares, indices, forex (foreign exchange) and commodities for trading and price predictions, remember that trading CFDs involves a significant degree of risk and could result in capital loss.
Past performance is not indicative of any future results. This information is provided for informative purposes only and should not be construed to be investment advice.
