Investing.com - Asian stocks are mixed Thursday with two of the region’s major markets closed, but Japanese shares traded slightly higher.
In Asian trading Thursday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.14%. Some traders expect the benchmark Japanese index, already up 60% in the past six months, to make a run at 14,000 today. The Nikkei has not traded that high in nearly five years.
On Thursday, Japanese electronics maker Canon boosted its full-year profit guidance by USD300 million due in part to the weaker yen.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.49% while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.76%. Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs said Chinese stocks are appealing following recent declines that have prompted attractive valuations. The Shanghai Composite, which is down year-to-date, trades at a discount to the broader emerging markets universe.
A Chinese fund manager added that it expects technology, media and pharmaceuticals names, among others, to outperform in China this year.
Australian and New Zealand bourses are closed today for public holidays.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.16%. Earlier Thursday it was revealed that Singapore Airlines has increased its stake in Virgin Australia to almost 20% from 10%. Virgin Australia is a unit of the Virgin Group.
South Korea’s Kospi jumped xx% after the Bank of Korea said Thursday economic growth there rose 0.9% in the first quarter compared with 0.3% in the fourth quarter.
On a year-over-year basis, South Korea’s GDP growth was unchanged at 1.5%. Analysts expected a first-quarter increase of 0.7% and year-over-year growth of 1.4%. The quarterly growth rate was the highest since the first quarter of 2011.
S&P 500 futures added 0.11% a day after the benchmark U.S. index finished flat.
In Asian trading Thursday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.14%. Some traders expect the benchmark Japanese index, already up 60% in the past six months, to make a run at 14,000 today. The Nikkei has not traded that high in nearly five years.
On Thursday, Japanese electronics maker Canon boosted its full-year profit guidance by USD300 million due in part to the weaker yen.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.49% while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.76%. Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs said Chinese stocks are appealing following recent declines that have prompted attractive valuations. The Shanghai Composite, which is down year-to-date, trades at a discount to the broader emerging markets universe.
A Chinese fund manager added that it expects technology, media and pharmaceuticals names, among others, to outperform in China this year.
Australian and New Zealand bourses are closed today for public holidays.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.16%. Earlier Thursday it was revealed that Singapore Airlines has increased its stake in Virgin Australia to almost 20% from 10%. Virgin Australia is a unit of the Virgin Group.
South Korea’s Kospi jumped xx% after the Bank of Korea said Thursday economic growth there rose 0.9% in the first quarter compared with 0.3% in the fourth quarter.
On a year-over-year basis, South Korea’s GDP growth was unchanged at 1.5%. Analysts expected a first-quarter increase of 0.7% and year-over-year growth of 1.4%. The quarterly growth rate was the highest since the first quarter of 2011.
S&P 500 futures added 0.11% a day after the benchmark U.S. index finished flat.