In the Asia-Pacific region, stocks experienced mostly positive gains on Monday, Jan. 29.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong stocks witnessed a rise, with the Hang Seng Index (HSI) increasing by 0.8% to reach 16,077.24. Notably, brewing company Budweiser Brewing APAC (1876) saw the largest increase, with shares rising by 6.6%.
Other notable gains included diversified holding companies firm CITIC (267) and dairy products company China Mengniu Dairy (2319), which both experienced a rise of 4.3%.
Meanwhile, medical laboratory services company WuXi AppTec (2359) faced a significant decrease of 10.6%.
Japan
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Index (NIK) of Japanese companies gained 0.8%, reaching 36,026.94. Among its constituents, basic organic chemicals company Nitto Denko (6988) experienced the largest increase at 5.2%.
Shares of passenger cars firm Mazda Motor (7261) and oil and gas exploration company Inpex Corp. (1605) both gained 4.3% and 4.1% respectively.
However, e-commerce company Rakuten Group (4755) faced a decline of 4.4% in share prices.
China
The Shanghai Composite Index (SHCOMP) of Chinese companies declined by 0.9% to reach 2,883.36.
Falling by 5.7% and 4.8% respectively, biotechnology services firm Wuxi Biologics (Cayman) (2269) and computers/consumer electronics company Lenovo Group (992) experienced notable declines.
Singapore and South Korea
Singapore’s FTSE Straits Times Index (STI) weakened by 0.6%, reaching 3,139.26, while South Korea’s KOSPI Composite Index (180721) increased by 0.9%, reaching 2,500.65.
Australia
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Benchmark Index (XJO) gained 0.3% to reach 7,578.40.
Conclusion
Overall, the Asia-Pacific stock market was marked by notable gains in various sectors. While some companies experienced significant increases in their share prices, others faced declines. These market trends indicate both opportunities and challenges for investors in the region.