Japanese stocks ended at eight-month highs to lead Asian markets Thursday on the yen’s extended weakness, while South Korean and Taiwanese shares made strong advances after the U.S. Federal Reserve added more monetary stimulus.
The Nikkei 225 Index in Japan zoomed 161.27 points, or 1.7%, to 9,742.73
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index scaled back 57.77 points, or 0.3%, to 22,445.58
Hong Kong and Australian shares slipped from 16-month highs on mild profit-taking pressure, and mainland Chinese equities slid lower, paced by weakness in the resource sector.
Many Tokyo-listed exporters added to gains on Thursday, with Sharp Corp. soaring 6.4%, Panasonic Corp. climbing 7.9% and Sony Corp. rising 6.4%.
Honda Motor Co. advanced 2.7%, shrugging off news of a recall of some vehicles at its Canadian unit.
Power companies weighed in Hong Kong, with CLP Holdings Ltd. dropping 3.6% on reports it plans to raise about $984 million U.S. via a share placement.
Gold miners also lost ground with Newcrest Mining Ltd. down 0.8% in Sydney and Zhaojin Mining Industry Co. losing 2.5% in Hong Kong.
In Seoul, heavyweight Samsung Electronics Co. extended its recent all-time highs to add 2.9% on the back of the Fed’s policy decisions.
Shares of STX Corp. fell 0.8% following a Dow Jones Newswires report the conglomerate was in talks with multiple investors to sell its 27.4% stake in STX Pan Ocean Co.
STX Pan Ocean rose 6.7% to extend week-to-date gains to just under 40%.
CHINA
Resource stocks were broadly lower in Shanghai trading as gold prices skidded and crude-oil declined after posting gains Wednesday.
The Shanghai CSI 300 Composite Index slid 25.13 points, or 1.1%, to 2,242.64
Shares of Shandong Gold-Mining Co. slid 3.7% and Zhongjin Gold Corp. lost 3%, while PetroChina Co. fell 0.6%.
In other markets
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index gained 14.98 points, or 0.5%, to 3,156.55
Korea’s Kospi index added 27.33 points, or 1.4%, to 2,002.77
Taiwan’s Taiex Index gained 66.90 points, or 0.9%, to 7,757.09
New Zealand’s NZX 50 fell 20.53 points, or 0.5%, to 3,974.73
Australia’s ASX Index doffed 1.02 points to 4,582.79
