Publications
Partners
Hong Kong - Asian markets bounced back Thursday after sharp declines in the previous session triggered by renewed concerns over a potential tapering of US stimulus, as investors awaited Chinese trade data.
Tokyo rose 1.0% after a 4.0% plunge on Wednesday, as the yen lost ground against the dollar with the market eyeing the outcome of the Bank of Japan's two-day policy meeting which was due to finish later in the day.
Hong Kong rose 0.45% while Shanghai traded flat ahead of the release of Chinese trade data for July.
China's trade surplus fell 14.0% in June as imports and exports both dropped unexpectedly, suggesting a further slowdown in the Asian economic giant as Beijing warned of "grave challenges".
Sydney gained 0.4% while Seoul rose 0.3%.
US shares dropped for the third straight session, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 0.31%, or 48.07 points, to 15 470.67.
The broad-based S&P 500 gave up 0.38 percent, or 6.46 points, to 1 690.91, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index fell 0.32%, or 11.76 points, to 3 654.01.
Comments from Federal Reserve officials earlier this week sparked jitters over a likely pullback of the US stimulus, weighing down global markets.
The chiefs of the Federal Reserve's Chicago and Atlanta branches both said that the central bank could begin tapering its $85bn a month quantitative easing programme in September, but stressed that economic growth needed to hold steady or improve.
On currency markets, the yen eased to ¥96.76/$ in Asian trade from 96.39 in New York on Wednesday. But the yen was stronger than its level of 97.33 in Asia on Wednesday.
Gold was at $1 292.10 at 04:35 compared with $1 277.43 late Wednesday.
In other markets:
-- Singapore, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur were closed for a public holiday.
