Asian Market Roundup Mar 30

China

Chinese stock exchange shares closed lower Wednesday with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 2.31 points, or 0.08 percent, to 2,955.77.

The Shenzhen Component Index declined 16.39 points, or 0.13 percent, to 12,661.22.

Hong Kong stocks rose 391.07 points, or 1.7 percent, to close at 23,451.43 on Wednesday.

Japan

Japanese stocks soared 2.6 percent on Wednesday.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 249.71 points, or 2.64 per cent, to close at 9,708.79. The broader Topix index was up 15.88 points, or 1.87 per cent, at 866.09.

Australia

Australian stocks jumped 1.4 percent to close at a 3-1/2 week high.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index gained 66.4 points to finish at 4,822.2, the highest close since March 4.