Barefoot Investor

Asian stocks rose in September, with the benchmark index heading for its biggest gain in three years, as the Federal Reserve unexpectedly maintained stimulus and data signaled China’s economy is strengthening.

Tencent Holdings Ltd., Asia’s biggest Internet company, gained 11 percent in Hong Kong this month to touch a record high. Tokyo Electron Ltd. surged 31 percent after Applied Materials Inc. announced a plan to take over the Tokyo-based company. Acom Co. soared 49 percent, spurring the consumer lender to the biggest gain on the Asian equities index, after a report Japan’s non-bank loans to individuals are picking up.  

Profits at China’s industrial companies rose 24 percent in August, data yesterday showed. A preliminary HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics’ purchasing managers index for China released on Sept. 23 rose to 51.2, a six-month high.

Regional Benchmarks

Japan’s Topix index gained 10 percent in September, rising for the first month in five, as Tokyo won a bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games. The measure fell 0.1 percent this week.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index (AS51) gained 3.4 percent this month and climbed 0.6 percent since Sept 20. New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index advanced 5.3 percent in September.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index jumped 6.8 percent this month and China’s Shanghai Composite Index gained 2.9 percent. Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 6 percent.(Bloomberg)

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