Asia Pacific share market were mostly down on final trading session of calendar year 2015, as sentiments weighed by renewed decline in oil prices and on caution ahead of key economic data due to release tomorrow globally. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was little changed today, but it has fallen 4.3% this year.
Benchmark U.S. crude gained 22 cents to $36.82 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract plunged $1.27 on Wednesday to close at $36.60. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 16 cents to $36.62 in London. It slid $1.33 in the previous session to $36.46.
Markets in Japan, Indonesia, Korea, Philippines and Thailand are closed for holidays while those in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore have shortened trading.
Among Asian bourses
Australia Market snaps 9-days rally
Australian share market has closed the final session of the year fractionally lower, Thursday, 31 December 2015, capping its winning streak at nine, as investors opted withdrawing some profit ahead of New Year's Day. The market's fall followed a nine-day run of gains in a so-called Santa rally. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index ended 24 points, or 0.45%, down at 5295.90 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index lost 21.80 points, or 0.41%, to 5344.60 points.
Shares of material and energy players ended lower, as commodity prices continued to slump. BHP Billiton shed 1.27% to A$17.86 while Rio Tinto edged 0.16% lower to A$44.71. Junior gold miner Evolution fell 2.8%. Energy shares skidded, too, with Woodside Petroleum down 0.4% to A$28.74, Santos down 2.7% to A$3.68, and Origin Energy down 0.8% to A$4.70.
Also Read
China Market falls ahead on manufacturing PMI data
The Mainland China stock market ended lower on last trading session of the year, Thursday, 31 December 2015, as investors booked profit following recent rally, on caution ahead of outcome of manufacturing activity surveys for December on Friday and on concern the nation's deepening economic slowdown will sap corporate earnings. Risk sentiments was also curbed by the looming expiration next month of a six-month ban on share sales that was imposed on listed companies' major shareholders during the summer market rout. The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.94%, or 33.69 points, to close at 3539.18. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, declined 1.81%, or 42.45 points, to close at 2308.91. The ChiNext Index, which tracks China's NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, lost 2.36%, or 65.46 points, to close at 2714.05.
The Shanghai Composite index was 9.4% higher for the year, making it one of the best performing markets globally, after government intervention to end a $5 trillion summer rout helped stabilize the world's second-largest equity market. Technology stocks led gains this year in mainland markets on bets China will succeed in transitioning to a consumer-led economy from one dependent on investment. Wangsu Science & Technology Co. and Iflytek Co. more than doubled this year. A gauge of health-care companies was the second-best performer among the 10 industry groups on the CSI 300 Index, led by drugmaker Beijing Tongrentang Co.
Hong Kong Market rises 0.15%
The Hong Kong stock market ended firmer in quiet trade on Thursday, 31 December 2015, ahead of long weekend holidays. The benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 32.25 points, or 0.15%, to 21914.40 points. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, benchmark measure of performance of mainland China enterprises, grew 1.15 points, or 0.01%, to 9661.03 points. Turnover increased slightly to HK$24.7 billion from HK$23.5 billion on Wednesday. For a whole year of 2015, the HSI fell 1,691 points, or 7.16%. The local bourse today shortened its trading session to half-day for New Year holidays.
Shares of oil majors were also lower, following drop in crude oil prices as global oversupply continues. CNOOC (00883) slipped 1.6% to HK$8.07. PetroChina (00857) and Sinopec (00386) also fell 1.2% and 0.6% to HK$5.08 and HK$4.68 respectively.
China IPPs were mixed despite the NDRC announced on-grid tariff cut of average RMB0.03/kWh effective tomorrow. Datang Power (00991) slid 1.3% to HK$2.36 after Credit Suisse's downgrade. CR Power (00836) edged up 0.9% to HK$15.08. China Power (02380) also added 1.6% to HK$4.48.
China Power New Energy (00735) soared 23% to HK$0.76 after State Power Investment announced nuclear power assets and businesses injection into the listed company. Meanwhile, its Chairman Li Xiaolin has resigned and Wang Binghua has taken over her seat.
Sensex, Nifty hit more than four-week closing high
Trading for the calendar year 2015 closed on a positive note as key benchmark indices settled with decent gains amid intraday volatility. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex rose 157.51 points or 0.61% to settle at 26,117.54. The 50-unit Nifty 50 index gained 50.10 points or 0.63% to settle at 7,946.35. After moving in a small range near the flat line, key indices witnessed a spurt during a later part of the session. The market witnessed volatility as traders rolled over positions in the futures & options (F&O) segment from the near month December 2015 series to January 2016 series. The near month December 2015 derivatives contracts expired today, 31 December 2015.
Bharti Airtel gained 1.14% after the company said that it has acquired remaining balance paid up share capital i.e. 26% of Augere Wireless Broadband India and with the said acquisition, Augere has become a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. The company made the announcement during market hours today, 31 December 2015.
Petronet LNG rose 2.99% after the company announced that it has entered into a binding sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with RasGas of Qatar for supply of an additional 1 million tonne a year (MTA) of LNG to India starting in 2016 for onward sale to Indian Oil Corporation, BPCL, GAIL (India) and Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation.
Elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region: Taiwan's Taiex index rose 0.7% to 8338.06. New Zealand's NZX50 added 0.1% to 6324.26. Malaysia's KLCI fell 0.04% to 1692.51. Singapore's Straits Times index fell 0.1% at 2882.73.
Powered by Capital Market - Live News