RTTN: Asian Markets End In Positive Territory As Japan Nuke Concerns Ease
(RTTNews) - The benchmark Nikkei 225 index advanced 244.08 points, or 2.72 percent, to close at 9,206.75 while the broader Topix Index of first section issues gained 19.59 points, or 2.42 percent, to 830.39
On the economic front, final estimates released by the Cabinet Office in Japan revealed that the country's leading index improved for a third month in January. The leading index rose to 101.5 during the month, revised from 101.9 reported in the preliminary estimate. The December figure was also revised down to 100.2 from 101 reported earlier. The coincident index, a measure of current economic conditions, came in at 105.9, down from initial estimate of 106.2 and higher than December's 103.5. Meanwhile, the lagging index fell to a revised 88.7 from 89. The preliminary figure was 87.8.
Light sweet crude oil futures for April delivery was trading at $103.07 a barrel in electronic trading, up $1.65 per barrel from previous close at $101.42 a barrel in New York on Thursday.
Most of the stocks in the broad 33 sectors in the index ended in positive territory with moderate gains as normalcy appears to be returning back to the battered and bruised economy.
In China, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended in positive territory with a gain of 12.10 points, or 0.42 percent, at 2,909.40.
In Hong Kong, the benchmark HangSeng Index ended at 22,300.23, registering a minor gain of 15.80 points, or 0.07 percent from previous close.
In Indonesia, the benchmark Jakarta Composite Index ended in the green with a gain of 9.86 points, or 0.28 percent, at 3,494.07.
In India, the benchmark BSE index ended in the negative territory with a loss of 271.06 points at 17,878.81, while the broader Nifty index ended at 5,373.70, down 72.95 points from previous close.
In South Korea, the benchmark KOSPI Index ended at 1,981.13, registering a gain of 22.10 points, or 1.13 percent from previous close.
In Singapore, the Strait Times Index ended in negative territory with a loss of 7.10 points, or 0.24 percent, at 2.935.78.
In Taiwan, the benchmark Taiwan Weighted Index ended at 8,394.75, registering a moderate gain of 112.06 points, or 1.35 percent, from previous close.
