The stock market indexes in Asia and Pacific region rose, led by energy and financial companies for second consecutive day. They helped the regional MSCI Asia Pacific index to reach its highest level in three months, while the main stock measure in India – BSE Sensex 30 rose to peak for the last two and a half years. MSCI Asia Pacific, which includes almost 1000 stock companies from ten Asian countries plus Australia and New Zealand moves to increase by 0.5 percent to 121.33 points and is on track to finish today’s session at its highest level 5 May onwards. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.3 percent to 9 694.01 points and was best performing among all regional indexes. The main Indian stock indicator BSE Sensex 30 rose by 0.2% to 18 103.04 points, led by shares in the banking sector, led by ICICI Bank, which yesterday announced a 17% increase in profit for the second quarter and 15 percent expected growth lending. BSE Sensex 30 rose by 3.6 percent this year and is near its highest level since February 2008. In Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose by 0.2% to 21 457.66 points, also supported primarily by financial shares because of good financial results in two of the largest European banks – HSBC and BNP Raribas announced Monday. Indices in Taiwan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand also rose, as their lead was reduced in the range of 1%.
Australia’s S & P / ASX 200 ended the session with a growth of 0.7 percent to 4 571.60 points after the central bank left the basic interest rate in the country without changing the level of 4.5 percent for the third consecutive month. Shares of energy companies ran the most profitable, after oil prices jumped above 81 dollars a barrel for the first time since May. For stock investors’ optimism helped the U.S. data yesterday which showed greater than expected activity in the manufacturing sector of the country in July, and unexpected growth in costs of construction companies. On the negative territory but ended the session in Shanghai, where the Shanghai Composite lost 1.7 percent to 2,627 points because of renewed concerns that the government will continue with restrictions on bank lending and investment in real estate. Top loser today was the exchange in Indonesia, where Jakarta Composite slid 2.8% to 2 973.38 points for the expectation that the country ahead of interest rate increases. Them became the occasion for inflation figures yesterday which showed that the CPI has accelerated to an annual growth rate to 6.22 percent in July compared with 5.05 percent in June and 1.6 percent a year ago. The objective of the central bank of Indonesia is to maintain inflation within the range from 4% to 6% annually.