Asian markets ended with some gains, with the potential positive effects of a hypothetical US tax reform approval overlapping with yet another North Korean ballistic test. Although the US tax reform has as its main objective to boost the domestic economy, the potential increase in household income should also benefit products imported from Asia. Yesterday some Japanese newspapers had anticipated a ballistic test by North Korea which, according to regime propaganda, could hit the United States.
Asian markets ended lower, penalized by weakness in the technology sector, which was plunged by the steep fall in Nasdaq. In Tokyo, the weakness of technological Stocks was more than offset by the appreciation of the banking sector. It also notes the rise in interest rates in South Korea (the first in 6 years) and the release of the PMI index in China. The PMI index for manufacturing industry in November reached 51.8 against the estimated 51.4. At the services level, PMI stood at 54.8 compared to 54.3 in October.