Asia-Pacific stock markets were mixed as China’s November factory activity data came in lower than expected.
Stock markets in Asia-Pacific were mixed on Wednesday as data on China’s factory activity for November came in lower than expected, shrinking for the second month in a row.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.19 percent, the Shanghai Composite index rose 0.12 percent, and the Shenzhen Component rose 0.1 percent.
Chinese health officials on Tuesday announced measures to increase vaccination among the elderly, an essential indicator for reopening the economy; while being asked if the ongoing protests would lead to change, they said they were “watching the virus closely” for developments.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 recouped its previous losses and traded 0.2 percent higher for October after the monthly inflation gauge showed some slowdown. Nikkei 225 and Topix in Japan fell 0.6 percent.
South Korea’s Kospi reversed its losses, up 0.5 percent. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.2 percent.
Japan’s Fast Retailing and electric vehicle maker Xpeng will announce earnings, and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell will deliver a speech at the Brookings Institution on Wednesday.
