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Investors in Asia remain cautious on Thursday Nikkei steady after positive factory data
(about 7 hours later)
Shares in Asia were mostly lacklustre on Thursday as investors continued to worry about a possible rate rise in the US and an ongoing slowdown in China. Asian markets remained steady, with Japan's Nikkei closing little changed despite some better-than-expected economic data.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index was flat, down 0.02% at 19,687.01 despite some better-than expected economic numbers. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed up 0.03% at 19,697.77 points.
Japan's core machinery orders rose by 7.5% in September from a month earlier - the first rise in four months. Japan's core machinery orders - seen as a good indicator of company spending - rose by 7.5% in September from a month earlier, the first rise in four months.
Machinery orders are seen as an indicator of company spending. Orders were down 1.7% from a year earlier, but this was not as bad as forecasts for a drop of about 4%.
On a year on year basis, the country's machinery orders fell 1.7% in September compared to forecasts for a drop of about 4%. While the numbers were better than expected, analysts said they still reflected the continuing slowdown in China, one of Japan's most important trading partners.
Analysts said the numbers were better than expected but that they still reflected the ongoing slowdown in China, one of Japan's most important trading partners. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index also closed flat, up just 0.06% at 5,125.70 despite strong jobs numbers.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index recovered earlier losses by mid morning and edged up 0.02% at 5,123.40. The economy created 58,600 net new jobs in October, the data showed, with the jobless rate dropping to 5.9% from 6.2%.
Investors will be watching the index through the day after job numbers released for October showed the country's unemployment number falling to 5.9% from 6.2% a month earlier. Analysts said the numbers were strong and would be likely to give a boost to investor sentiment. South Korea's benchmark Kospi index closed down 0.15% at 1,994.75 after the Bank of Korea kept its interest rate on hold.
South Korea's benchmark Kospi index was flat, down just 0.08% at 1,995.59 in mid morning trade after the Bank of Korea kept its interest rate on hold. Hong Kong rises
Among other businesses and government offices, the stock market opened an hour later than usual on Thursday as the country marked students sitting their all-important college entrance test. The one bright spot in the region was Hong Kong where the Hang Seng index finished up 2.4% to 22,888.92, boosted by technology shares.
In China, markets were mixed, with the Shanghai Composite down 0.74% at 3,623.35 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng benchmark index up 0.69% at 22,506.76. Shares in Chinese computer and smartphone giant Lenovo rose 5.8% after its losses for the three months to September were not as bad as expected.
The company reported a net loss of $714m after taking hefty charges to cover restructuring costs. However, that was better than expectations for a loss of more than $785m.
The Shanghai Composite index ended down 0.5% at 3,632.90.