Asian Stock Market: China upbeat data led the gains, delta fear still lingers on

• Asian stocks post gains on Wednesday follows their US counterparts record gains.
• China Service Growth accelerates sharply for the 15th straight month.
• US Stock Futures point to a higher opening in the day.

Most of the Asia-pacific stocks trade higher following the overnight Wall Street’s gain. Investors cheered up US corporate earnings despite the Delta variant woes.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.1%. 

The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.5% after closing 0.5% lower on Tuesday. The sentiment improved after Chinese service growth climbed in July from a 14-month low in the last month.

China on Wednesday field 96 new confirmed coronavirus infections. There were also concerns that home vaccines are known to be less effective against the delta variant.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.4% on profit-booking, further selloff was supported after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga showed concerns on the rapid spread of the delta variant in the 20-30 age group. 

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 1.47%, Kospi gained 1.29%.

The ASX 200 rose marginally by 0.2% on downbeat economic data.  The Retails Sales declined by 1.8% in June. The IHS Markit Australia Services PMI fell 44.2 in July from the previous 56.8 in June.