Asia-Pacific markets are mixed on Wednesday as investors assess private business activity surveys from Australia and Japan, as well as inflation figures from Singapore.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index jumped 153.55 points, or 0.5%, to 32,010.26, running its win streak to three sessions.
The country saw a faster expansion in its business activity, with its flash PMI for August at 54.3 compared to July’s 53.8.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng climbed 54.91 points, or 0.3%, to 17,845.92.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index inched up 0.29% after the country’s core inflation climbed 3.8% in July from a year ago, in line with expectations in a Reuters poll.
Australia enjoyed its third straight day of gains. Australia’s business activity contracted at the fastest pace in 19 months, according to Juno Bank, with its flash composite purchasing managers index coming in at 47.1 for August.
In other markets
The CSI 300 dropped 61.6 points, or 1.6%, to 3,696.63.
In Taiwan, the Taiex index hiked 139.29 points, or 0.9%, to 16,576.90.
In Korea, the Kospi index was down 10.24 points, or 0.4%, to 2,505.50.
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index grabbed 14.3 points, or 0.5%, to 3,174.18.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 zoomed 86.67 points, or 0.8%, to 11,571.93.
In Australia, ASX 200 moved forward 26.81 points, or 0.4%, to 7,148.42.
