Hong Kong, April 11 (BNA): Stock prices rose in Asia, bolstered by investor optimism that the region’s central banks will continue to halt or end cycles of interest rate increases, regardless of action by the US Federal Reserve.
Reuters reported that MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.44% as trading resumed after a long weekend in several major Asian markets.
South Korea’s central bank kept interest rates steady for the second consecutive meeting, as expected.
China’s CPI reading — an increase of 0.7% year-on-year, or the lowest level in 18 months — supports the case for policymakers to take more steps to boost economic recovery from the pandemic.
ZHB