Investing.com - Most Asian bourses traded higher Wednesday despite disappointing June trade data out of China, the world’s second-largest economy.
In Asian trading Wednesday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.12% as the Bank of Japan kicked off a two-day policy meeting. Earlier Wednesday, the Bank of Japan said that Japan’s corporate goods price index rose 1.2% last month following a 0.6% increase in May. Analysts expected the 1.2% increase.
In a separate report, METI said that Japanese tertiary industry activity index rose 1.2% in June after a flat reading in May. Analysts had expected Japanese tertiary industry activity index to rise 0.9% last month.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.32% while the Shanghai Composite rose 0.20% after data showed Chinese exports slipped 3.1% last month while imports declined 0.7%. Economists expected exports to rise 4% and imports to rise 8%. China’s trade suprlus was $27 billion for the month, up from $20.4 billion in May.
Surprisingly, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 1% although the Australian dollar tumbled after the Chinese data. Gains were lead by health care and mining companies. China is Australia's largest export partner.
New Zealand’s NZSE 50 rose 0.43%, another surprise as that country also counts China as its largest export market.
On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund cut its 2013 global growth forecast to 3.1% from a 3.3% prediction made in April and cut its 2014 growth forecast to 3.8% from 4.0%, which sent investors snapping up safe-haven positions in the dollar.
South Korea’s Kospi was the regional laggard with a loss of 0.20% after the Korea National Statistical Office said that South Korea’s unemployment remained at 3.2% last month, inline with analysts’ estimates. South Korea is Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 0.46% while S&P 500 futures inched down 0.06% a day after the benchmark U.S. index jumped 0.72%.
In Asian trading Wednesday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.12% as the Bank of Japan kicked off a two-day policy meeting. Earlier Wednesday, the Bank of Japan said that Japan’s corporate goods price index rose 1.2% last month following a 0.6% increase in May. Analysts expected the 1.2% increase.
In a separate report, METI said that Japanese tertiary industry activity index rose 1.2% in June after a flat reading in May. Analysts had expected Japanese tertiary industry activity index to rise 0.9% last month.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.32% while the Shanghai Composite rose 0.20% after data showed Chinese exports slipped 3.1% last month while imports declined 0.7%. Economists expected exports to rise 4% and imports to rise 8%. China’s trade suprlus was $27 billion for the month, up from $20.4 billion in May.
Surprisingly, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 1% although the Australian dollar tumbled after the Chinese data. Gains were lead by health care and mining companies. China is Australia's largest export partner.
New Zealand’s NZSE 50 rose 0.43%, another surprise as that country also counts China as its largest export market.
On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund cut its 2013 global growth forecast to 3.1% from a 3.3% prediction made in April and cut its 2014 growth forecast to 3.8% from 4.0%, which sent investors snapping up safe-haven positions in the dollar.
South Korea’s Kospi was the regional laggard with a loss of 0.20% after the Korea National Statistical Office said that South Korea’s unemployment remained at 3.2% last month, inline with analysts’ estimates. South Korea is Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 0.46% while S&P 500 futures inched down 0.06% a day after the benchmark U.S. index jumped 0.72%.