Asian markets see mixed figures at Tuesday close

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) – Stock markets in Asia closed Tuesday with mixed figures amid rising concerns over both COVID-19 cases and inflation.

Investors, however, seemed to be relaxed following the developments in the US, with President Joe Biden nominating Jerome Powell for a second four-year term as the Federal Reserve chair.

Markets are closely monitoring the Fed to see whether pressure from rising inflation will drive it to raise its benchmark interest rate.

The tension between China and the US over Taiwan is also being followed closely by investors.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, lost 6.81 points, or 0.18%, to close at around 3,852 points.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock exchange was up 28.24 points, or 0.09%, to 29,774.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, decreased 300 points, or 1.20%, to 24,651.

China's Shanghai stock exchange rose by 7 points, or 0.20%, to 3,589 points, and the Indian Sensex benchmark rose 259.27 points, or 0.44%, to close at 58,725 points.

Meanwhile, the Singapore index went down 7.86 points, or 0.24%, to 3,229.