(Bloomberg) -- The slide in Asian stocks paused Friday, though the benchmark index is still poised for its worst first half since 2010, as investors await more clarity on the trade spat between the U.S. and two economic behemoths China and Europe.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.9 percent to 166.10 at 4:27 p.m. in Hong Kong, led by rebounds in most stock markets across the region. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 2.2 percent as most traders and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expect policy makers to act to slow the currency's slide once it gets close to 6.7 per dollar in China's onshore market. Japan erased declines and closed 0.2 percent higher as the yen weakened.
“Factors that supported a 2017 rally have all reversed in the first half,” said Linus Yip, Hong Kong-based chief strategist at First Shanghai Securities. “The market will continue to be weak, probably going south further, unless we see a major improvement in global trade friction."
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index is poised for its worst quarterly decline since 2015.
Summary
- Topix index +0.2%, Nikkei 225 +0.2%
- Japan's Factory Output Falls for First Time in Four Months
- Japan's Topix Rebounds as Yen Falls, Posting Quarterly Advance
- Hang Seng Index +1.6%, Hang Seng China Enterprises Index +1.9%
- China Expected to Defend the Yuan at 6.7 as Losses Mount
- It's All Going Wrong for China Developers as Bond Investors Flee
- Taiex +1.7%
- Kospi index +0.5%, Kospi 200 index +0.5%
- Message App Firm Kakao Seeks Partners for Its Blockchain Venture
- S&P/ASX 200 -0.3%, New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 -0.6%
- Australia and New Zealand Stocks Post Best Quarters Since 2015
- Australian Bank Funding Cost Spike Here to Stay, Citigroup Says
- S&P BSE Sensex Index +1%, NSE Nifty 50 Index +1%
- Straits Times Index +0.8%, Malaysia's KLCI +1.4%, Philippines Stock Exchange Index +1.8%, Jakarta Composite +1.4%, Thailand's SET Index -0.5%, Vietnam VN-Index +0.4%
- Malaysia Stocks Rally as Investors Cheer Utility Tariff Approval
To contact the reporter on this story: Moxy Ying in Hong Kong at yying13@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Divya Balji at dbalji1@bloomberg.net, Rebecca Jones
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