Asia markets were mixed in choppy afternoon trading on Wednesday after economic data from China showed stronger-than-expected growth.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 eked up 1.96 points to 32,042.25.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng dropped 40.82 points, or 0.2%, to 17,732.52.
Markets in Taiwan staggered with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp down 2% after the U.S. announced new restrictions on exports of artificial intelligence chips to China.
Australian markets forged ahead of that country’s unemployment figures on Thursday. The unemployment rate is one of the key metrics that the Reserve Bank of Australia considers when setting its monetary policy.
CHINA
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 sank 28.82 points, or 0.8%, to 3,610.58.
China posted 4.9% growth in the July to September quarter from a year earlier, according to a release from China’s National Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday. Economists expected the country’s economy to report growth of 4.4%, according to a Reuters poll.
The world’s second-largest economy also posted higher than expected retail sales data for September, and an urban unemployment rate that fell to its lowest level in nearly two years last month.
In other markets
In Taiwan, the Taiex plummeted 201.64 points, or 1.2%, to 16,440.91.
In Korea, the Kospi index eked up 2.43 points, or 0.1%, to 2,462.60.
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index faded 35.21 points, or 1.1%, to 3,136.62.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 7.12 points, or 0.1%, to 11,221.48.
In Australia, the ASX 200 gained 21.52 points, or 0.3%, to 7,077.61.
