Asia-Pacific stocks higher as investors watch for developments on Brexit trade deal talks
Asia-Pacific stocks rose in Thursday morning trade, with multiple markets in the region poised to close early for Christmas Eve. Investors also watched for developments on Brexit trade deal talks.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.87% while the Topix index advanced 0.96%. South Korea’s Kospi also rose 0.76%.
Meanwhile, shares in Australia climbed, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 0.55%.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan traded 0.22% higher.
Markets in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore are set to close early on Thursday for Christmas Eve.
Meanwhile, in Brexit trade deal negotiations between Britain and the European Union, bond yields and the British pound jumped on Wednesday following reports that an agreement was close. Reuters reported that a trade deal was “imminent,” citing a senior EU diplomat, though CNBC could not independently verify this.
Reference: CNBC