Market Insights: Asia on High Ground

AusForex Market insights - 20th August

The dragon of Asia is making its presence known as the stock market saw gains on Monday after reports on Friday from Wall Street that U.S and China are seeking to resolve their trade dispute.

In Japan Nikkei NIK, -0.24%   gave up early gains and was last down 0.1%. Cosmetics maker Shiseido 4911, +1.81%   and drug firm Eisai 4523, +0.43%   both gained, while Toyota 7203, -0.90%   fell almost 1%. Meanwhile in Hong Kong, after a five-day losing streak Hang Seng HSI, +0.85% jumped about 1%. Tencent 0700, +2.49%   rose 2% to aid the advance, while Wynn Macau 1128, +7.35%   popped 6% on a dividend announcement, helping push up shares of peers.

Sadly China reported retreating from a bad beat last week, as Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, +0.11%   was about flat after sliding 4.5% last week. Leaving smaller-cap benchmarks in Shenzhen399106, -0.66%   slipped 0.4%.

As a unification between the North and South Koreans came in on April of this year. Their stocks are gaining ground with the Kospi SEU, +0.11%   up 0.2% even though Samsung Electronics 005930, -0.68%   was little changed. Steelmaker Posco005490, +3.99%   rebounded 4%.




In a land down under, however, Australia’s ASX 200 XJO, +0.05%   was about flat as major bank stocks fell. ANZANZ, -0.79%  , Commonwealth Bank CBA, -1.07%   and Westpac WBC, -0.74% posted near-1% losses. While neighboring New Zealand’s NZX 50 NZ50GR, +0.49%   was working on a four-day winning streak to get back within shouting distance of fresh record highs.

Other parts of Asia like in Taiwan Y9999, +0.14 %, Singapore STI, +0.17%   and MalaysiaFBMKLCI, +0.23%   posted modest gains. To understand how these statistics can help improve your daily life, find out more only in our Investor Program today.