Asian stock markets close mixed on Thursday

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Major Asian stock markets closed Thursday mixed.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, decreased 0.19% or 6 points to 3,069.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 stock exchange increased 0.21% or 57.3 points to 27,876.

Earlier, Japan posted a record trade deficit of 2.82 trillion yen ($19.7 billion) in August due to surging energy imports. The figure was above market estimates.

While the Indian Sensex benchmark decreased 0.74% or 445.4 points to 59,901, the Singapore index went up 0.31% or 9.96 points to finish at 3,268.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, rose 0.44%, or 83.3 points, to 18,930.

China’s Shanghai Stock Exchange fell 1.16% or 37.6 points to 3,199.9.

In line with market forecasts, China’s central bank on Thursday offered 400 billion yuan ($58 billion) worth of one-year medium-term lending facility loans, while keeping the interest rate unchanged at 2.75%.

The Chinese yuan weakened to 6.99 against the US dollar after the central bank's move.

The Chinese city of Chengdu will lift an indefinite lockdown in all districts as COVID-19 cases decline.

Meanwhile, Fosun Group said on Thursday that it will file a law suit against Bloomberg for publishing a “false report” that said Chinese regulatory authorities are asking banks and some of the state-owned companies to examine their exposure to Fosun.