Asia report: Markets higher ahead of Fed minutes

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was ahead 0.21% at 21,970.81, as the yen weakened 0.14% against the dollar to last trade at JPY 107.48.

Among the winners on the Tokyo benchmark was its manufacturing sector, with Fanuc Manufacturing adding 0.4%.

Carmakers and technology plays were mixed, however, with financial stocks under the cosh, with Honda and Toyota rising 1.64% and 0.12% respectively, and SoftBank Group dropping 0.55%.

South Korea’s Kospi was ahead 0.6% at 2,429.65, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong was up 1.81% at 31,431.89.

Steelmakers were lower on the Korean peninsula, after the government made good on its promise to submit a complaint to the World Trade Organisation over US duties.

Hyundai Steel was off 0.57%, and Posco slipped 0.14%.

Also on the economic diplomacy front, the Bank of Korea governor said the central bank was ready to respond should the US Federal Reserve raise interest rates quicker than markets are anticipating.

Oil prices were lower, with Brent crude last down 0.4% at $64.99 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate off 0.82% at $61.29.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.05% to 5,943.70 amid a busy earnings season, with major miners falling into the red.

BHP finished down 4.76% after reporting earnings in the previous session, and Fortescue Metals was off 4.66% after it posted a 44% reduction in its interim net profit after tax.

Retail giant Wesfarmers added 3.02% after it posted an 86.6% decline in first half net profit after tax, although that included an AUD 1.3bn writedown.

Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 added 1.3% to 8,200.27, led higher by infant food and dairy products exporter A2 Milk, which shot up 26.5% to reach a record high.

The company announced it had more than doubled its first half profit, with sales also climbing 70%, and confirmed it had struck a deal with New Zealand-based global dairy giant Fonterra over the supply and branding of milk.

Both of the down under dollars were weaker on the greenback, with the Aussie last off 0.42% at AUD 1.2737 and the Kiwi retreating 0.07% to NZD 1.3619.