Japan stocks reversed gains and ended modestly lower on Monday, following reports that a Japanese man may have been infected with the Ebola virus.
The Nikkei 225 docked 89.12 points, or 0.5%, to 17,729.84. Meanwhile, the yen traded at ¥120.33 against the U.S. dollar, compared with ¥120.35 in the previous session.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index moved skyward 423.84 points, or 1.8%, 23,773.18, after returning from a four-day weekend, as recent reports said China’s central bank had changed its rules to allow deposits from non-bank financial institutions to count as reserves, a measure aimed at increasing lending and boosting growth.
Earlier in the day, a Japanese man was being tested for the Ebola virus after returning to Tokyo from Sierra Leone, according to various media reports, citing the country’s health ministry.
Among market movers, Mazda Motor Corp. fell 2.1%, Tokyo Electron Ltd. lost 1.7%, Nintendo Co., Ltd. declined 1.5%. However, media conglomerate Sony Corp. bucked the trend and rose 0.4%, after it reported over $15 million U.S. in online revenues for its comedy "The Interview."
In other markets;
Shanghai’s CSI 300 index inched up 9.62 points, or 0.3%, to 3,367.69.
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index tacked on 14.01 points, or 0.4%, to 3,367.69
The Taiex index in Taiwan gained 67.78 points, or 0.7%, to 9,286.28
Korea’s Kospi index moved lower 20.30 points, or 1%, to 1,927.86
New Zealand’s Exchange 50 took on 34.91 points, or 0.6%, to 5,592.33
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 79.28 points, or 1.5%, to 5,473.78
