Stocks in the Asian region were seen mixed on the last trading day, as the crises in Ukraine continues to escalate and investors weighed on the upbeat inflation data and corporate earnings from Japan.
On Thursday, the US Secretary of State John Kerry said Russia was on the edge of facing further sanctions from the Western nations if the country doesn’t ease tensions in Ukraine. The agreement on disarming rebels signed on April 17 in Geneva by Russia, Ukraine, the US and the European Union is on the verge of falling apart.
Meanwhile, forces from Ukraine killed up to five pro-Russian separatists, while Russia started army drills close to the border, increasing fears over the crises.
In Japan, stocks were trading in between gains and losses, after figures for the country’s consumer inflation came in at a 22-year high in April, indicating Japan’s economy was growing from its delayed period of deflation. Core consumer prices in Tokyo climbed 2.7% higher in April, the fastest gain since 1992.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March was at 1.6%, meeting in line with analysts’ forecast, up from the previous reading of 1.5%.
The Japanese benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 0.17% to 14,429.26, while Tokyo’s broader Topix index added 0.44% to close at 1,169.99. Fuji Electric saw the most gains on the Nikkei 225 as it climbed 9.7%. While the pharmaceutical supplier, Terumo Corporation slid 5.2% lower.
In China, the Hong Kong Hang Seng index lost 1.55% to 22,213 at the time of writing, while the mainland Shanghai Composite fell 1.00% to close at 2,036.52 at the same time.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Kospi index shed 1.3% lower at 1,971.66. Markets in Australia and New Zealand are closed for holiday.
European stocks were seen falling on Friday, while US index futures were a little changed.
The Euro Stoxx 50 dropped 0.59% to 3,171.024, while the German DAX fell 0.73% to 9,478.06 at the time of writing. At the same time the French CAC 40 declined 0.34% to 4,464.27, while UK’s benchmark FTSE 100 lost 0.31% to 6,682.11.
Sweden’s truck-maker giants, Volvo lost 1.5% to 101.90 kronor. The company said first-quarter operating profit rose to 2.29 billion Swedish crowns from 496 million seen a year ago.
Visit www.hymarkets.com to find out more about our products and start trading today with only $50 using the latest trading technology today
The post Stocks Market Review 25th April appeared first on | HY Markets Official blog.
Article provided by HY Markets Forex Blog