Asian markets ended mixed on Thursday

Asian markets ended mixed on Thursday, amid signs that policy makers in China and Japan will do more to support economic growth. Chinese stocks rose in Hong Kong, propelling the benchmark index to its highest level in almost two months, after a report that central bank will inject cash into smaller banks. The People’s Bank of China is gauging city commercial banks’ demand for funds to support lending to small enterprises. Growth in China real estate investment slowed further in the first 10 months of 2014, but property sales showed some signs of improvement, indicating Beijing’s efforts to boost the ailing sector may be starting to have an effect. Property investment grew at its slowest pace in over five years between January to October, rising 12.4% from the same period a year earlier. That compared with a rise of 12.5% in the first nine months and was the slowest pace since July 2009. Chinese Retail Sales fell to an annual rate of 11.5%, from 11.6% in the preceding month while Chinese Fixed Asset Investment fell to a seasonally adjusted 15.9%, from 16.1% in the preceding month. Chinese Industrial Production fell to 7.7%, from 8.0% in the preceding month. Japan’s industrial production rose to a seasonally adjusted 2.9%, from 2.7% in the preceding month. Asian Indices Last Trade Change in Points Change in % Shanghai Composite 2485.61 -8.87 -0.36 Hang Seng 24019.94 81.76 0.34 Jakarta Composite 5048.67 -0.17 0.00 KLSE Composite 1815.81 -0.43 -0.02 Nikkei 225 17392.79 195.74 1.14 Straits Times  3304.93 21.22 0.65 KOSPI Composite 1960.51 -6.76 -0.34 Taiwan Weighted 8980.67 61.72 0.69