Tokyo and Hong Kong end higher, while mainland Chinese markets end lower.
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The major Asian stock markets ended in scattered order on Wednesday, Tokyo and Hong Kong closing higher, while Shenzhen and Shanghai ended the session in the red.
In Tokyo, trade was supported by a cheap yen, despite the closing in the red of Wall Street the day before accusing the deadlock of negotiations in the United States on aid to the Americans.
The Nikkei star index gained 0.41% to 22,843.96 points, while the expanded Topix index rose 1.23% to 1605.53 points.
Less than an hour before the New York Stock Exchange closed on Tuesday, the major indices had all gone into the red following statements by Republican Senate boss Mitch McConnell, who was skeptical of the recovery negotiations on new budgetary measures to support the US economy.
The White House and Democrats continue to blame each other after two weeks of tense talks. Donald Trump signed four decrees of temporary measures on Saturday, which may however be challenged in court.
But taking advantage of a yen-dollar exchange rate favorable to Japanese exporting companies, the stock market remained in the green. However, “gains have been limited” as a Nikkei approaching 23,000 points favors profit taking, noted Yoshihiro Okumura, analyst at Chibagin Asset Management.
“For the time being, exchanges should remain limited” in intensity, he told AFP.
In Hong Kong, where the Hang Seng index rose 1.42% to 25,244.02 points, airline stocks were boosted by press reports concerning a possible resumption, at least temporarily, of transit by Hong Kong flights to and from mainland China. The title of the Hong Kong company Cathay Pacific, which announced on Wednesday a historic net half-yearly loss, jumped 12%.
However, the Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.63% to 3319.27 points, and that of Shenzhen dropped 1.26% to 2215.11 points.
On the side of values
SOFTBANK GROUP IN STRONG FALL: the title of the Japanese giant of investments in new technologies fell 2.65% to 6,192 yen. The group announced the day before that it had returned to the green in the first quarter of 2020/21 after a record annual net loss over the previous fiscal year due to the coronavirus crisis. However, he was cautious, in view of the economic consequences still to be feared, and did not deliver annual forecasts.
RAKUTEN DEGRINGOLE AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ITS RESULTS: the title of the Japanese group of online shops and services ended the session down -7.78% to 983 yen, the day after the announcement of a small profit net in the second quarter of its 2020 financial year, however weighed down by very heavy investments made for the launch of its mobile telephony offers in Japan.
On the currency and oil side
The yen continued to fall against the dollar, at a rate of one dollar for 106.75 yen shortly around 09:40 GMT against 106.49 yen on Tuesday at 21:00 GMT.
The European currency also rose against the yen, a euro worth 125.67 yen against 125.02 yen the day before.
The dollar fell against the euro, with one euro trading for $ 1.1773 against $ 1.1740 on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. GMT.
Oil prices were in the green after finishing slightly lower on Tuesday, ahead of the release of the US Oil Inventory Report.
Around 09:40 GMT the price of a barrel of American crude WTI gained 1.39% to 42.19 dollars and that of a barrel of Brent from the North Sea took 1.30% to 45.08 dollars.
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