Investing.com - Asian stocks fell on Thursday as investors looked beyond central bank stimulus measures taking place across the globe and sold on poor Japanese trade data.
During Asian trading on Thursday, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.31%, Australia's S&P/ASX200 was down 0.30%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index was down 0.58%.
Japan’ trade balance fell more than expected in August, according to government data.
In a report, the Ministry of Finance said that the country’s trade balance fell to a seasonally adjusted -0.47T, from -0.33T in the preceding month.
Analysts had expected the trade balance to fall -0.37T last month.
The data painted to a picture of a cooling global economy, which sent equities falling despite the Bank of Japan's decision to stimulate the U.S. economy.
Stocks saw some support on the Bank of Japan's decision to increase the size of its monthly bond purchases by JPY10 trillion to a total of JPY80 trillion.
The JPY10 trillion increase in the asset-purchase program will be split equally towards additional purchases of treasury discount bills and Japanese government bonds, the central bank said in a statement.
The Bank of Japan also left its policy interest-rate target unchanged in the current range of zero to 0.1%.
Monetary easing measures are underway in the U.S. as well, with the Federal Reserve committed to buying USD40 billion in mortgage-backed securities a month from banks to jolt the U.S. economy.
Elsewhere, the Bank of England released the minutes of its August meeting, which revealed that policymakers voted 9 to nothing in favor of leaving U.K. interest rates unchanged at 0.5% and also agreed to leave the quantitative easing program unchanged at GBP375 billion.
Still, stocks fell on soft Japanese trade figures.
In Hong Kong, top decliners included China Unicom, down 4.19%, CNOOC, down 2.65%, and China Shenhua, down 2.35%.
In Australia, top gainers included Aquarius Platinum, down 9.88%, Billabong International, down 6.57%, and Atlas Iron, down 5.04%.
European stock futures indicated a lower opening.
France's CAC 40 futures pointed to a loss of 0.02%, while Germany's DAX 30 futures pointed to a loss of 0.02%. Meanwhile in the U.K., FTSE 100 futures indicated a loss of 0.21%.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were unchanged while the S&P 500 futures were down 0.06%.
During Asian trading on Thursday, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.31%, Australia's S&P/ASX200 was down 0.30%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index was down 0.58%.
Japan’ trade balance fell more than expected in August, according to government data.
In a report, the Ministry of Finance said that the country’s trade balance fell to a seasonally adjusted -0.47T, from -0.33T in the preceding month.
Analysts had expected the trade balance to fall -0.37T last month.
The data painted to a picture of a cooling global economy, which sent equities falling despite the Bank of Japan's decision to stimulate the U.S. economy.
Stocks saw some support on the Bank of Japan's decision to increase the size of its monthly bond purchases by JPY10 trillion to a total of JPY80 trillion.
The JPY10 trillion increase in the asset-purchase program will be split equally towards additional purchases of treasury discount bills and Japanese government bonds, the central bank said in a statement.
The Bank of Japan also left its policy interest-rate target unchanged in the current range of zero to 0.1%.
Monetary easing measures are underway in the U.S. as well, with the Federal Reserve committed to buying USD40 billion in mortgage-backed securities a month from banks to jolt the U.S. economy.
Elsewhere, the Bank of England released the minutes of its August meeting, which revealed that policymakers voted 9 to nothing in favor of leaving U.K. interest rates unchanged at 0.5% and also agreed to leave the quantitative easing program unchanged at GBP375 billion.
Still, stocks fell on soft Japanese trade figures.
In Hong Kong, top decliners included China Unicom, down 4.19%, CNOOC, down 2.65%, and China Shenhua, down 2.35%.
In Australia, top gainers included Aquarius Platinum, down 9.88%, Billabong International, down 6.57%, and Atlas Iron, down 5.04%.
European stock futures indicated a lower opening.
France's CAC 40 futures pointed to a loss of 0.02%, while Germany's DAX 30 futures pointed to a loss of 0.02%. Meanwhile in the U.K., FTSE 100 futures indicated a loss of 0.21%.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were unchanged while the S&P 500 futures were down 0.06%.