Asian stock markets close higher except for Japan

ANKARA

Major Asian stock markets except for Japan closed Thursday with gains after softer-than-expected US inflation data relaxed concerns about the Federal Reserve's aggressive monetary tightening.

US annual consumer inflation rose 8.5% in July, easing from the 9.1% annual gain in June, according to Department of Labor figures.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, rose 25 points, or 76%, to 3,302.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, increased 471.6 points, or 2.4%, to 20,082.


China’s Shanghai Stock Exchange gained 51.6 points, or 1.6%, to 3,281.


While the Indian Sensex benchmark climbed 515.3 points, or 0.88%, to 59,332, the Singapore index went up 15.6 points, or 0.48%, to finish at 3,302.

Meanwhile, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 stock exchange decreased 180.6 points, or 0.65%, to 26,819.