Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose on Thursday as investors analysed Japan's declining exports for the second month in a row and President Trump's denial of plans to dismiss Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed at 24,498.95, while China's CSI 300 index rose by 0.68 per cent to 4,034.49. Japan's Nikkei 225 added 0.6 per cent to close at 39,901.19, and the Topix index increased by 0.72 per cent to 2,839.81. South Korea's Kospi index closed up 0.19 per cent at 3,192.29, and the Kosdaq rose by 0.74 per cent to 818.27. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 ended 0.9 per cent higher at 8,639. In India, the Nifty 50 was down 0.12 per cent, and the Sensex lost 0.25 per cent as of 1.55 p.m. IST (4.25 a.m. ET). Attribution: CNBC Subediting: M. S. Salama
