Tokyo, Nov. 4, (dpa/GNA) – Shares in Asia Pacific were mixed on Wednesday morning as US presidential election results streamed in.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 1.42 per cent to stand at 23,626.38 at 11:30 am (0230 GMT) at the end of the morning session after rising as much as 2.16 per cent earlier.
The broader Topix index was up 0.82 per cent to 1,621.1.
Japanese financial markets were closed on Tuesday for a public holiday.
South Korea’s benchmark Kospi Index climbed 0.78 per cent to stand at 2,361.66 after rising 1.88 per cent on Tuesday.
China’s Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.48 per cent in the morning while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged down 0.28 per cent after gaining almost 2 per cent on the previous day.
Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX200 index declined 0.44 per cent and the broader All Ordinaries index were down 0.4 per cent.
On Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 2.06 per cent, the S&P 500 index closed up 1.78 per cent and the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 1.85 per cent.
Democrat Joe Biden maintained a steady lead over incumbent President Donald Trump in the last surveys ahead of the election day.
Some aspects of Biden’s policy proposals would typically be seen as a negative for stock markets in the short term, such as his plan to raise some taxes, while he would favour a larger stimulus package to bolster the pandemic-battered economy.
GNA