Most Asian stock markets close midweek on high note

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) – All major Asian indexes closed Wednesday with gains, except for India's Sensex, as fears about the spillover effect of the banking sector eased.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, rose 1.13% to 3,255.19 points.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was slightly up 0.03% to 27,229.48 points.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, climbed 1.52% to 19,539.

China’s Shanghai Stock Exchange gained 0.55% to 3,263, and the Singapore index increased 1.38% to close at 3,172.

Industrial production in China rose 2.4% in January-February, less than the market forecast of a 2.6% hike.

The country's retail sales grew 3.5% in the same period, meeting expectations.

The Sensex index, however, dropped 0.59% to 57,555.

India's merchandise trade deficit fell to $17.43 billion in February, from $18.75 billion a year earlier.