SINGAPORE — Stocks in Asia-Pacific were mostly higher in Thursday trade, with shares in Hong Kong lagging among the region’s major markets.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.95% while the Topix index advanced 0.57%.
South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.16%. Shares of industry heavyweight Samsung Electronics dipped about 0.3%. The firm announced earlier its profit for the three months that ended in September likely rose 58% from a year ago.
Stocks in Australia also saw gains, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 1.14%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lagged regionally among the region’s major markets, slipping 0.78% by the afternoon.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.33%.
SMIC shares in Hong Kong slide
Hong Kong-listed shares of SMIC fell 1.69% by the afternoon after S&P Global Ratings placed the chipmaker on a negative credit watch. SMIC currently has a long-term issuer credit rating of “BBB-,” according to S&P Global Ratings.
The ratings firm warned that the company could potentially face supply chain risks, with likely export restrictions from the U.S. It said it could lower the rating if the export restrictions “significantly disrupt” the firm’s wafer fabrication, limit its ability to expand capacity — among other factors that could weaken profitability.
The move downward in SMIC shares came as Chinese tech stocks in the city saw a broader decline: Xiaomi dropped 4.84%, Tencent slipped 0.56% while Alibaba dipped 0.14%. The Hang Seng Tech index shed 0.56%.
Investors likely continued watching for developments on U.S. stimulus support, after President Donald Trump tweeted support for aid to airlines and other stimulus measures. That was in contrast to Tuesday, when he said the White House is halting stimulus negotiations with the Democrats.
“Piecemeal US fiscal stimulus doesn’t supplant the need for a more comprehensive stimulus package,” Kim Mundy, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, wrote in a note. “The absence of further fiscal support amid growing infections risks putting the US economic recovery in reverse.”
Meanwhile, on the virus treatment front, Eli Lilly said it’s seeking clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization of its Covid-19 antibody treatment.
Overnight stateside, shares on Wall Street soared amid hopes that a smaller aid package could be passed by lawmakers. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 530.70 points higher, or 1.9%, at 28,303.46 The S&P 500 jumped 1.7% to finish its trading day at 3,419.45 while the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.9% to close at 11,364.60.
Oil prices mixed
Oil prices were mixed in the afternoon of Asian trading hours, with international benchmark Brent crude futures up 0.12% to $42.04 per barrel. U.S. crude futures dipped 0.1% to $39.91 per barrel.
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 93.587 after seeing an earlier low of 93.573.
The Japanese yen traded at 106.03 per dollar after weakening from levels below 105.6 against the greenback earlier this week. The Australian dollar was at $0.7139 following its decline from levels above $0.716 this week.
— CNBC’s Weizhen Tan contributed to this report.
Source: CNBC