Investing.com - Asian markets rose in morning trade on Thursday following a recovery in U.S. equities overnight.
China’s Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Component were up 0.7% and 0.6% respectively by 10:08 PM ET (02:08 GMT).
The People’s Bank of China fixed its daily onshore currency rate at weaker than 7 for the first time since 2008. Some analysts said the move could be interpreted as a sign that Beijing is looking to stem a recent slide.
On Monday, the Chinese currency breached an important 7-yuan-per-dollar level and prompted the U.S. Treasury Department to label Beijing as a currency manipulator.
On the data front, China is expected to release exports, imports and trade balance numbers later in the morning.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index also gained 0.7%.
Shares of Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (HK:0293) was down 1% after the carrier said ticket sales fell as fewer people took Cathay flights into Hong Kong in July amid mass demonstrations against a controversial extradition bill and government policies.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.5%, while South Korea’s KOSPI rose 0.9%.
Down under, Australia’s ASX 200 inched up 0.2%.
Overnight, U.S. stocks recovered after plunging right after Wednesday’s open.
The Dow Jones industrials were off nearly 600 points by 9:45 AM ET (13:45 GMT) but recovered to finish down just 0.1% or 22 points. The S&P 500 was down as much as 0.2%, or 56 points, but came back to finish with a gain of 0.1%. The Nasdaq Composite ended up 0.4% after falling as much as 1.3%.
President Donald Trump said in a tweet that “They (the Fed) must Cut Rates bigger and faster, and stop their ridiculous quantitative tightening NOW.”