Asian markets traded mostly higher in early deals on Friday, boosted by the risk appetite in the market participants after US Federal Reserve announced 25 bps interest rate cut as widely expected. Expectations of announcement of potential stimulus measures from China as the National People's Congress Standing Committee concluded its five-day meeting also encouraged investments. Japan’s Nikkei advanced to its highest levels in over three weeks in line with the positive Wall Street overnight. Meanwhile, Japanese household spending in September dipped, though at a slower pace than anticipated by the market.
Nikkei 225 up by 133.95 points 0.34% to 39,515.36, Straits Times surged by 52.76 points 1.44% to 3,726.25, Jakarta Composite soared by 80.33 points or 1.11% to 7,324.19, KOSPI Index rose by 7.80 points or 0.30% to 2,572.43, Taiwan Weighted higher by 223.66 points or 0.96% to 23,632.48, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI added by 1.03 points or 0.06% to 1,624.31.
On the flip side, Hang Seng down by 55.00 points 0.26% to 20,898.34, and Shanghai Composite slipped by 10.48 points or 0.30% to 3,460.18.