Asian market News

MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.13%, Japan`s benchmark Nikkei and South Korea`s Kospi shed 0.29% and 0.48%, respectively, while Australian stocks added 0.33%.

The dollar was down 0.2 percent at 102.33 yen , well above last week`s low of 100.68 yen, while the euro was steady at $1.1085.

The Indian equities surged in opening trade tracking positive cues from higher Asian markets. At 9.30 am, the Sensex surged 402.77 points or 1.48 percent to 27,529.67. This is the highest level of Sensex since October 2015. While the NSE Nifty was trading at 11-month, jumped 114.40 points or 1.37 percent to 8,437.60.

On equity markets Tokyo was down 6.7 percent, Hong Kong tumbled 3.6 percent, Sydney shed more than three percent and Seoul was 1.5 percent off. Shanghai and Singapore each sank 1.4 percent, while Taipei, Wellington, Manila and Jakarta all saw sharp losses.

Chinese shares extended the plunges of recent weeks on Friday, falling more than five percent within an hour of opening.

Tokyo`s Nikkei index was the biggest loser of Asia`s major markets Thursday as the yen climbed against the dollar, while Wall Street provided a weak lead following more below-forecast US data.

Asian markets were mixed Monday as the first full week of 2015 got under way, while the euro hit a nine-year low against the dollar at one point on growing expectations of fresh European Central Bank stimulus.

Asian markets were mixed Tuesday ahead of the US Federal Reserve`s next policy meeting, which will be scrutinised for an idea of what its plans are for interest rates.

British soft drink maker Britvic plans to be in 25,000 stores around India in the next three months as it makes its entry into the Asian market, senior executives said.

Tracking a firming global trend, the benchmark BSE Sensex Thursday rose by nearly 75 points in early trade ahead of the Union Budget 2014-15.

The crisis has a direct bearing on crude prices because Iraq is the second-biggest oil exporter in the 12-nation OPEC after Saudi Arabia.

The dollar slipped about 0.1 percent to 101.95 yen, moving back toward a two-week low of 101.60 yen marked on Thursday.