Asia-Pacific markets were mixed as banking fears were reignited on Wall Street, sending the three major U.S. indexes into a four day losing streak. Regional bank shares sold off, and other banks seeing volatile trading.
Markets in Japan and Korea were shuttered for holiday.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index gained 100.58 points, or 0.5%, to end the week at 20,049.31, leading gains in the region.
Australian markets were ahead Friday, as investors digested the Reserve Bank of Australia’s statement on monetary policy.
Singapore’s retail sales in March were 4.5% higher than a year ago, coming in at $4.1 billion the whole month. This was lower than the 11.6% increase seen in February.
Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales were up 4.1% year on year, at $3.5 billion.
The country’s department of statistics said most industries in Singapore recorded year-on-year increases in March sales.
CHINA
The CSI 300 index faltered 13.37 points, or 0.3%, to 4,016.88.
China’s Caixin services purchasing managers index for April slipped to 56.4 from March’s reading of 57.8 but remained in expansion while the Caixin manufacturing PMI fell into contraction territory.
In other markets
In Singapore, the Straits Times index docked 2.55 points, or 0.1%, to 3,266.63.
In Taiwan, the Taiex index gained 17.04 points, or 0.1%, to 15,626.07.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 dumped 79.54 points, or 0.7%, to 11,889.02.
In Australia, the ASX 200 surged 26.9 points, or 0.4%, to 7,220.01.
