Asian stock exchanges close Thursday in green

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - All major Asian stock exchanges closed Thursday in positive territory ahead of key US inflation data.

Consumer prices in the US due to be announced on Thursday is expected to rise 7.3% year-on-year in January.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, increased 0.34%, or 12.8 points, to 3,802.6 at 1030GMT.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock exchange rose 0.42%, or 116.2 points, to 27,696.08.

According to data from the Bank of Japan on Thursday, Japan's producer price index rose 8.6% year-on-year in January, driven by higher cost of raw materials and rising energy bills. The index rose for the 11th straight month.

Wholesale price inflation nearly hit a record high, with the index rising 9.2% in November, the fastest pace in the last four decades.

China's Shanghai Stock Exchange gained 0.17%, or 5.96 points, to close the day at 3,485.91 points.

Gao Feng, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that the US is expected to remove additional tariffs and sanctions against China to create good conditions for the two countries to expand trade cooperation, Chinese public broadcaster CGTN reported on Thursday.

Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, went up by 0.38%, or 94.36 points, to 24,924.35.

The Indian Sensex benchmark climbed 0.79%, or 460.06 points, to close at 58,926.03. The Singapore index also rose 0.23%, or 7.96 points, to reach 3,428.