Asia Pacific share market ended higher on Wednesday, 05 August 2015, on
the back surge in China service business activity to11-month high,
outweighing concerns that a rise in U.S. interest rates could be getting
closer.
The Caixin China General Services Business Activity Index accelerated to an 11-month high 53.8 in July, up from June's 51.8, due to rising business volumes and solid new order growth. Anecdotal evidence suggested that stronger underlying client demand and new customer wins led to increased new work at service providers, according to the Caixin report.
Speculation of U.S. interest rates raise as soon as next month renewed after a top Federal Reserve official expressed support on Tuesday for an interest rate rise as early as September. US Fed official Dennis Lockhart (voting member) said, in an interview yesterday, that the economy is ready for a lift-off.
Crude oil prices rose on expectations of upbeat US stockpiles and jobs data due at the end of the week. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for September delivery gained 51 cents to $46.26 while Brent crude for September was up 59 cents to $50.59.
Copper in London fell 0.3% to $5,217.00 a metric ton, declining for the fourth day in five. Prices are giving up gains made on Tuesday after China's plan for more stimulus helped spark rebounds among industrial metals. Gold slipped 0.1% to $1,087.20 an ounce as the dollar strengthened.
Among Asian bourses
Japan stocks drift higher on earnings, weaker yen
Japanese share market finished the session firmly higher, helped by yen depreciation against the greenback and as the latest survey from Nikkei revealed that the services sector in Japan continued to expand in July, with a PMI score of 51.2. Meanwhile, better than expected earnings from Terumo Corp. to Kajima Corp also bolstered sentiments. The Nikkei Stock Average advanced 93.70 points, or 0.46%, to end at 20614.06 points. The broader Topix index ended 6.02 points, or 0.36%, higher at 1665.85 points. The yen traded at 124.41 per dollar after weakening 0.3% on Tuesday.
Australia stocks fall on weak offshore lead
The Australian share market ended lower, following the weaker tone seen in US and European markets overnight. Nine out of ten ASX sectors ended in the red, with Energy, Telecoms Services and Consumer Discretionary sectors leading declines, although materials sector was conspicuous for their improvement in a weaker market. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index and the broader All Ordinaries Index both declined by 0.4% to 5674 and 5659.50, respectively. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 559 to 422 and 166 ended unchanged.
China market drops 1.7%
Mainland China's stock market ended lower in volatile trade, wiping out part of yesterday gains and registering fourth decline in last five trading sessions. On Tuesday, the Shanghai bourse rallied 3.7%, encouraged by news that authorities have stepped up their crackdown on short-selling of shares. The selloff momentum resumed on concerns government recent intervention will drive away investors, shrugging off data showing surge in China service business activity to11-month high and vow by the central bank to stabilise market. All 10 SSE sectors ended in the red, with telecommunication services, information technology, consumer discretionary and financial sectors leading declines. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended 61.97 points, or 1.65%, higher at 3694.57 points. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, dropped 1.05%, or 22.54 points, to 2128.42 points. Total volume of A shares traded in Shanghai was 48.38 billion shares, while Shenzhen volume was 27.11 billion shares.
Hong Kong market rises
The Hong Kong stock market ended higher, on the back of surge in China service business activity to11-month high and vow by the China central bank to stabilise market. However, market gain was limited after survey data of Hong Kong private sector companies signaled a further deterioration in overall operating conditions at the start of the third quarter. The Hang Seng Index ended 108.40 points, or 0.44%, higher at 24514.16 points. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, benchmark measure of performance of mainland China enterprises, rose 50.92 points, or 0.46%, to 11125.84 points. Turnover reduced to HK$68.6 billion from HK$74.7 billion on Tuesday.
Sensex logs modest gains
Indian stock market ended modest higher, powered by capital inflows by foreign funds and buying by retail investors amid a strong Asian trend. As per provisional closing, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 130.69 points or 0.47% at 28,202.62. The CNX Nifty was up 51.05 points or 0.6% at 8,567.95.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought Indian shares worth a net Rs 118.70 crore yesterday, 4 August 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 112.55 crore yesterday, 4 August 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.
Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn said yesterday, 4 August 2015, that the company is considering setting up manufacturing facilities in India. Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou reportedly said at a news conference in New Delhi yesterday, 4 August 2015, that Foxconn intends to set up manufacturing facilities for producing televisions, routers, switches, storage equipment and batteries among other devices in India. Foxconn is the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer by revenue.
Meanwhile, the outcome of a monthly survey released today, 5 August 2015, showed that India's services sector activity rose last month, primarily in response to a renewed increase in new business. The seasonally adjusted Nikkei Services Business Activity Index rose back above the 50 no-change mark in July, posting 50.8 from 47.7 in June.
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan indicated in his written monetary policy statement yesterday, 4 August 2015, that monetary policy could be eased further if there is greater monetary policy transmission by way of cut in base rate by commercial banks. The RBI kept its benchmark lending rate viz. the repo rate unchanged at 7.25% after a monetary policy yesterday, 4 August 2015, while retaining the accommodative stance of monetary policy.
Elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region: Taiwan's Taiex index added 0.4% to 8542.27. South Korea's KOSPI jumped 0.1% to 2029.76. New Zealand's NZX50 advanced 0.1% to 5938.51. Singapore's Straits Times index edged up 0.01% at 3191.39. Indonesia's Jakarta Composite index rose 1.5% to 4850.53. Malaysia's KLCI rose 0.1% to 1725.56.
The Caixin China General Services Business Activity Index accelerated to an 11-month high 53.8 in July, up from June's 51.8, due to rising business volumes and solid new order growth. Anecdotal evidence suggested that stronger underlying client demand and new customer wins led to increased new work at service providers, according to the Caixin report.
Speculation of U.S. interest rates raise as soon as next month renewed after a top Federal Reserve official expressed support on Tuesday for an interest rate rise as early as September. US Fed official Dennis Lockhart (voting member) said, in an interview yesterday, that the economy is ready for a lift-off.
Crude oil prices rose on expectations of upbeat US stockpiles and jobs data due at the end of the week. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for September delivery gained 51 cents to $46.26 while Brent crude for September was up 59 cents to $50.59.
Copper in London fell 0.3% to $5,217.00 a metric ton, declining for the fourth day in five. Prices are giving up gains made on Tuesday after China's plan for more stimulus helped spark rebounds among industrial metals. Gold slipped 0.1% to $1,087.20 an ounce as the dollar strengthened.
Among Asian bourses
Japan stocks drift higher on earnings, weaker yen
Japanese share market finished the session firmly higher, helped by yen depreciation against the greenback and as the latest survey from Nikkei revealed that the services sector in Japan continued to expand in July, with a PMI score of 51.2. Meanwhile, better than expected earnings from Terumo Corp. to Kajima Corp also bolstered sentiments. The Nikkei Stock Average advanced 93.70 points, or 0.46%, to end at 20614.06 points. The broader Topix index ended 6.02 points, or 0.36%, higher at 1665.85 points. The yen traded at 124.41 per dollar after weakening 0.3% on Tuesday.
Australia stocks fall on weak offshore lead
The Australian share market ended lower, following the weaker tone seen in US and European markets overnight. Nine out of ten ASX sectors ended in the red, with Energy, Telecoms Services and Consumer Discretionary sectors leading declines, although materials sector was conspicuous for their improvement in a weaker market. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index and the broader All Ordinaries Index both declined by 0.4% to 5674 and 5659.50, respectively. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 559 to 422 and 166 ended unchanged.
China market drops 1.7%
Mainland China's stock market ended lower in volatile trade, wiping out part of yesterday gains and registering fourth decline in last five trading sessions. On Tuesday, the Shanghai bourse rallied 3.7%, encouraged by news that authorities have stepped up their crackdown on short-selling of shares. The selloff momentum resumed on concerns government recent intervention will drive away investors, shrugging off data showing surge in China service business activity to11-month high and vow by the central bank to stabilise market. All 10 SSE sectors ended in the red, with telecommunication services, information technology, consumer discretionary and financial sectors leading declines. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended 61.97 points, or 1.65%, higher at 3694.57 points. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, dropped 1.05%, or 22.54 points, to 2128.42 points. Total volume of A shares traded in Shanghai was 48.38 billion shares, while Shenzhen volume was 27.11 billion shares.
Hong Kong market rises
The Hong Kong stock market ended higher, on the back of surge in China service business activity to11-month high and vow by the China central bank to stabilise market. However, market gain was limited after survey data of Hong Kong private sector companies signaled a further deterioration in overall operating conditions at the start of the third quarter. The Hang Seng Index ended 108.40 points, or 0.44%, higher at 24514.16 points. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, benchmark measure of performance of mainland China enterprises, rose 50.92 points, or 0.46%, to 11125.84 points. Turnover reduced to HK$68.6 billion from HK$74.7 billion on Tuesday.
Sensex logs modest gains
Indian stock market ended modest higher, powered by capital inflows by foreign funds and buying by retail investors amid a strong Asian trend. As per provisional closing, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 130.69 points or 0.47% at 28,202.62. The CNX Nifty was up 51.05 points or 0.6% at 8,567.95.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought Indian shares worth a net Rs 118.70 crore yesterday, 4 August 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 112.55 crore yesterday, 4 August 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.
Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn said yesterday, 4 August 2015, that the company is considering setting up manufacturing facilities in India. Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou reportedly said at a news conference in New Delhi yesterday, 4 August 2015, that Foxconn intends to set up manufacturing facilities for producing televisions, routers, switches, storage equipment and batteries among other devices in India. Foxconn is the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer by revenue.
Meanwhile, the outcome of a monthly survey released today, 5 August 2015, showed that India's services sector activity rose last month, primarily in response to a renewed increase in new business. The seasonally adjusted Nikkei Services Business Activity Index rose back above the 50 no-change mark in July, posting 50.8 from 47.7 in June.
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan indicated in his written monetary policy statement yesterday, 4 August 2015, that monetary policy could be eased further if there is greater monetary policy transmission by way of cut in base rate by commercial banks. The RBI kept its benchmark lending rate viz. the repo rate unchanged at 7.25% after a monetary policy yesterday, 4 August 2015, while retaining the accommodative stance of monetary policy.
Elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region: Taiwan's Taiex index added 0.4% to 8542.27. South Korea's KOSPI jumped 0.1% to 2029.76. New Zealand's NZX50 advanced 0.1% to 5938.51. Singapore's Straits Times index edged up 0.01% at 3191.39. Indonesia's Jakarta Composite index rose 1.5% to 4850.53. Malaysia's KLCI rose 0.1% to 1725.56.
