FX: The Asian stocks fell to the lowest in 10 months
The Asian stocks indexes lost yesterday’s gains and fell to the lowest in 10 months on growing tensions between South Korea and North Korea which pushed the won to the lowest in also 10 months. The fears over Europe’s debt crisis also contributed to today’s decline, since austerity measures will curb spending and thereby deman on the Asian exports.
The MSCI Asia Pacific index fell today by 3.1% to 109.24 at 13:30 in Tokyo, as investors kept loosing their appetite for risk, where the yen rose against the dollar to the lowest of 89.56, increasing many exporting companies looses.
Nikkei 225
Nikkei 225 fell today by 3.06% or 298.51 points closing at 9459.89. From 225 shares, 14 advanced, 206 declined and 5 unchanged. Sectors leading the decline were the industrials that lost 97.96 points and consumer goods that lost 51.08.
Lagging shares today were Fast Retailing Co Ltd which fell by 5.36% closing at 12190 yen, second was Softbank Corp which fell by 4.50% closing at 2058 yen, then TDK Corp which fell by 5.01% closing at 5120 yen.
Among the shares that advanced Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co Ltd topped the list by rising 5.15% closing at 715 yen, followed by Shionogi & Co Ltd which rose by 1.39% and closing at 1602 yen. Third was Central Japan Railway Co Ltd which rose by 0.83% and closed at 727000 yen.
S&P/ASX 200
The S&P/ASX 200 fell today by 2.96% or 130.10 points closing at 4265.30. From 200 companies 151 shares ended green compared to 38 ending in red and 11 unchanged. Sectors leading the decline were the financials that lost 53.95 points and basic materials that lost 39.46.
Lagging shares today included Gunns Ltd that retreated 24.29% closing at 0.27 Australian dollars, trailed by Linc Energy Ltd loosing 9.61% closing at 1.03 dollars. And Macmahon Holdings Ltd that fell 9.35% closing at 0.49 Australian dollars.
St Barbara Ltd inclined the most today as it rose 3.39% closing at 0.31 Australian dollars, followed by Flight Centre Ltd surging 2.94% closing at 16.80 Australian dollars, and GrainCorp Ltd that surged by 2.84% closing at 5.43 Australian dollars.
