07:09 AM EDT, 05/03/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were choppy in holiday-thinned trading, as traders weighed prospects for Beijing economic stimulus but a steady, less accommodative monetary policy from the US Federal Reserve.

Hong Kong gained, while Shanghai and Tokyo were closed on holiday. Other regional exchanges were uneven.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher and held ground, finishing up 1.5% after recent Beijing signals that it plans additional stimulus for the nation's economy. Financial, tech and property issues were strong.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 268.79 to 18,475.92, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 61 to 16. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 2.7% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 2.2%.

Leading the upside was e-commerce giant JD.com, gaining 5.5%, while Wuxi AppTec fell 5.3%

In economic news, retail sales in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region declined 7.0% in March from a year earlier, reported the Census & Statistics Department.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI fell 0.3%, the Taiwan TWSE inclined 0.5%, the Australian ASX 200 inclined 0.5%, the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.1%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.5%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 1%.

http://www.mtnewswires.com
Copyright © 2024 MT Newswires. All rights reserved. MT Newswires does not provide investment advice. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.