Asia-Pacific Stocks Drop As Shares Of Apple Suppliers In The Region Fall

SINGAPORE — Stocks in Asia-Pacific were lower on Friday, as shares of Apple suppliers in the region declined after the Cupertino-based tech giant announced its fourth-quarter earnings.

South Korea’s Kospi fell 2.56% to close at 2,267.15. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index finished its trading day 1.95% lower at 24,107.42.

Mainland Chinese stocks were also lower on the day, as the Shanghai composite declined 1.47% to around 3,224.53 while the Shenzhen component dropped 2.094% to about 13,236.60.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 slipped 1.52% to close at 22,977.13 while the Topix index fell 1.96% to finish its trading day at 1,579.33. Japan’s industrial output rose 4% in September from the previous month, according to a preliminary report released Friday by the country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Over in Singapore, the Straits Times index declined 1.1% to close at 2,423.84. Shares of Nanofilm Technologies surged more than 12% from their listing price as they made their debut in the city on Friday. The firm’s listing is Singapore’s largest in at least six years, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, shares in Australia dipped, with the S&P/ASX 200 closing 0.55% lower at 5,927.60. AMP, on the other hand, saw its stock soar 19.53% after the firm announced Friday it received a conditional takeover offer from Ares Management.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1.15%.

In coronavirus developments, Moderna said Thursday it is prepping for the global launch of its potential coronavirus vaccine. That comes amid a rise in cases in the U.S. as well as Europe, with Germany and France announcing new nationwide lockdowns.

Apple suppliers lower
Shares of Apple suppliers in Asia fell on Friday. In Japan, Taiyo Yuden fell 1.92% and Murata Manufacturing slipped 2.91% Over in South Korea, LG Display also declined 2.77%.

Hong Kong-listed shares of AAC Technologies slipped 2.74%. Largan Precision’s stock in Taiwan dipped 0.33%.

The moves came after the Cupertino-based tech giant reported fourth-quarter earnings that slightly beat Wall Street expectations. Apple, however, did not offer investors any guidance for the quarter ending in December — meaning that investors and analysts don’t get clues on the firm’s sales performance expectations of the iPhone 12, which went on sale in October.

Apple’s stock had dropped over 4% in extended trading.

TICKER COMPANY NAME PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE
.N225 Nikkei 225 Index NIKKEI 22977.13 -354.81 -1.52
.HSI Hang Seng Index HSI 24107.42 -479.18 -1.95
.AXJO S&P/ASX 200 ASX 200 5927.60 -32.70 -0.55
.SSEC Shanghai SHANGHAI 3224.53 -48.19 -1.47
.KS11 KOSPI Index KOSPI 2267.15 -59.52 -2.56
.FTFCNBCA CNBC 100 ASIA IDX CNBC 100 9340.99 -169.39 -1.78
Overnight stateside, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 139.16 points higher at 26,659.11, its first daily gain in five days. The S&P 500 also snapped a three-day decline as it gained 1.2% to finish its trading day at 3,310.11 while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.6% to close at 11,185.59.

U.S. GDP for the third quarter expanded more than expected. The number of first-time unemployment-benefits filers also declined for a second straight week and touched its lowest level since March.

Currencies and oil
Oil prices were higher in the afternoon of Asian trading hours, with international benchmark Brent crude futures up 0.56% to $37.86 per barrel. U.S. crude futures added 0.47% to $36.34 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 93.865 after rising from levels below 93.5 this week.

The Japanese yen traded at 104.34 against the greenback after weakening from levels around 104 per dollar yesterday. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7041, having seen a decline from levels above $0.708 earlier this week.

– CNBC