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Asian shares mixed on Chinese data | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Asian markets experienced mixed fortunes after two contrasting pieces of economic data emerged from China. | |
China's industrial output grew by a less-than-expected 7.2% in November from a year ago, but retail sales rose 11.7%, beating forecasts. | |
Fixed-asset investment, an important economic driver, grew 15.8% in the first 11 months of the year, in line with expectations. | |
The data seemed to have little impact on Chinese shares which traded flat. | |
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was at 23,318.19, while on the mainland, the Shanghai Composite was at 2,926.69. | |
Eye on elections | |
In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 closed up 0.7% at 17,371.58 after losing nearly 4% in the previous three days. | |
The dollar was at 119.55 yen in afternoon trade compared with 118.65 yen in the New York session. | |
Investors are also keeping a close eye on elections this weekend as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks a mandate to delay another increase to the country's sales tax. | Investors are also keeping a close eye on elections this weekend as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks a mandate to delay another increase to the country's sales tax. |
Shares of Canon surged as much as 4.1%, to their highest since May 2013, after an upward revision to its year-end dividend forecast. It closed up 3.9%. | |
Australia's market fell with shares in mining companies being hit after iron ore prices fell to their lowest level in more than five years. | |
Benchmark 62% grade iron ore for immediate delivery to China's Tianjin port fell to $68.80 a tonne on Thursday, just a touch off a five-and-a-half year low of $68 reached in November. | |
The S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.2% at 5,219.60 - marking its fourth consecutive session of declines. | |
It was the market's worst weekly performance in three weeks, falling 2.2%. | |
In South Korea, the benchmark Kospi index ended up 0.3% at 1,921.71. |