Japan (BBN)-Asian shares were mixed on Thursday after trade data from the world’s third-largest economy, Japan, showed that global demand was picking up.
Japan’s exports rose more than expected, by 9.6% in October from a year ago, which was the fastest pace since February, reports BBC.
That compared with a 6.9% year-on-year rise in September.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 closed slightly up +0.07% at 17,300.86 points after closing down 0.3% on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, on the Chinese mainland, shares headed lower after a private survey showed that China’s factory sector stalled in November with output contracting for the first time in six months.
The flash HSBC/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to a six-month low of 50 from a final reading of 50.4 in October.
The reading was also well below market expectations of 50.3. The factory output sub-index fell to 49.5, the first contraction since May.
A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while one below means contraction.
The Shanghai Composite was down 0.11% at 2,448.19 points, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng closed slightly up 0.03%, at 23,381.35 points.
REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC
Elsewhere in the region, Australian shares traded down as the resources sector saw more pressure from falling iron ore and coal prices.
The S&P/ASX 200 index closed down 0.98% at 5316.24 points.
Shares of heavyweight miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto closed the Australian trading day down 2.66% and 2.71% respectively.
In South Korea, the benchmark Kospi closed down 0.45% at 1958.04 points, despite data showing that the country’s short-term foreign debt burden had eased over the last quarter.
Its short-term external debt fell to $126.1bn (£80bn) by the end of September from $131.8bn three months earlier.
BBN/AS-20Nov14-3:40pm (BST)