Asian stock exchanges have fluctuated through ups and downs at a time when the regional equity index is heading for its biggest quarterly gain since 2010. Japanese manufacturing stocks slipped after Japan's industrial production tumbled, beating all expectations. Investors were also awaiting US data on incomes and consumption.
MSCI Asia Pacific index rose 0,1% to 126.69 at 11:12 am in Tokyo, with the same number of rising and falling stocks. The index is up 11% year-to-date, gaining 0,3% this week. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 0,2% after the government revealed that industrial production fell 1,2% in February compared to the previous month. The average estimate by analysts spoke instead of a growth of 1,3 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slipped 0,4%. Real estate companies were responsible for 89% of the decline, following the arrest of Sun Hung Kai's co-chairman. The Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks major Chinese stocks, was up 0,6 percent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.4%, while South Korea's Kospi Index fell 0,1 percent
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