HONG KONG : Asian shares held onto their recent gains on Wednesday after last week's pummelling, as global equities rebounded thanks to a combination of positive COVID-19 vaccine news and easing worries over tapering of Federal Reserve stimulus.
Japan's Nikkei were flat. A Reuters poll of analysts and fund managers showed Japanese shares are expected to recover from their eight-month low marked on Friday to near a 30-year high by the end of this year. The Hong Kong benchmark jumped nearly 1per cent on opening but was last down 0.5per cent, after posting its best day in a month the day before as the market pulled further away from last week's finish of its lowest close for this year.
"How it progresses from here, I don't think is as much about China and Asia but what the U.S. does. If it's a benign scenario out of Jackson Hole I think you'll definitely see China mean revert," he said. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury notes rose to 1.3019per cent, their highest since Aug.13.