Asian markets traded mostly higher on Thursday, May 22, with gains seen across key regional indices led by Japan and Taiwan. Investor sentiment remained positive amid firm global cues, while select markets traded flat during the session.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 174.3 points, or 0.69%, to trade at 25,560.82. Japan’s Nikkei 225 advanced 1,452.88 points, or 2.36%, to 63,137.02, marking the strongest gain among major Asian indices.
Taiwan’s benchmark index climbed 599.08 points, or 1.45%, to 41,967.29, while South Korea’s KOSPI gained 24.14 points, or 0.31%, to 7,839.73.
China’s equity markets also traded in positive territory. The Shanghai Composite rose 2.826 points, or 0.07%, to 4,080.103, while the Shenzhen Component Index added 93.281 points, or 0.61%, to 15,340.551.
Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, New Zealand’s NZX 50 gained 27.44 points, or 0.21%, to 12,905.51. Malaysia’s benchmark index rose 4.71 points, or 0.28%, to 1,713.07, while Australia’s ASX 200 advanced 41.7 points, or 0.48%, to 8,663.4.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index also traded higher, rising 5.94 points, or 0.12%, to 5,051.65. The SGX-CNBC China Growth index gained 9.814 points, or 0.58%, to 1,698.067.
Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite Index remained unchanged at 1,532.67 during the session.