Tokyo stocks ended lower Thursday as some heavyweight semiconductor-related shares declined, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index briefly sinking over 3 percent.

Hong Kong's stock market closed higher on Thursday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index up 1.33 percent to close at 25,008.6 points. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 1.63 percent to end at 8,318.14 points, while the Hang Seng Tech Index climbed 1.98 percent to 4,834.44 points.

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, closed 3.43 percent lower at 2,110.36 points on Thursday.

Chinese stocks closed lower on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 1.85 percent to 3,882.41 points.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, lost 2.95 percent to close at 3,692.46 points Thursday.

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, opened 2.28 percent lower at 2,135.48 points on Thursday.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, was down 2.48 percent to open at 3,710.51 points Thursday.

Chinese stocks opened lower on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 1.09 percent to open at 3,912.38 points.The Shenzhen Component Index opened 1.91 percent lower at 14,497.43 points.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 1 pip to 6.7909 against the U.S. dollar Thursday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China's yuan-denominated loans rose by 10.72 trillion yuan (about 1.58 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, central bank data showed on Wednesday.At the end of June, outstanding yuan loans stood at 282.63 trillion yuan, up 5.2 percent year on year, according to the People's Bank of China.The M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, had increased by 8 percent year on year to 356.71 trillion yuan by the end of last month.The M1, which covers cash in circulation, demand deposits and client reserves of non-bank payment institutions, reached 118.48 trillion yuan at the end of June, up 4 percent from a year earlier.Wednesday's data also revealed that outstanding aggregate financing for the real economy stood at 462.06 trillion yuan at the end of last month, an increase of 7.4 percent year on year.Yuan deposits rose by 17.76 trillion yuan in the first half of 2026, with household deposits up by 7.58 trillion yuan.China will continue to apply an appropriately accommodative monetary policy in 2026, this year's government work report noted.

Hong Kong's stock market closed higher on Wednesday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index up 1.4 percent to close at 24,681.10 points. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 1 percent to end at 8,184.38 points, while the Hang Seng Tech Index climbed 1.3 percent to 4,740.49 points.

Tokyo stocks closed higher on Wednesday as cooler-than-expected US inflation data eased worries over a near-term Federal Reserve rate hike, while buying in heavyweight technology shares also lifted the market.

Chinese stocks closed lower on Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.29 percent to 3,955.58 points.

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, closed 3.48 percent lower at 2,185.42 points on Wednesday.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, lost 1.21 percent to close at 3,804.7 points Wednesday.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 354.89 points, or 1.46 percent, to 24,695.62 points in the morning session on Wednesday.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 354.89 points, or 1.46 percent, to 24,695.62 points in the morning session on Wednesday.

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, opened 0.81 percent higher at 2,282.57 points on Wednesday.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, was up 0.74 percent to open at 3,879.77 points Wednesday.

Chinese stocks opened mixed on Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.09 percent to open at 3,963.73 points.The Shenzhen Component Index opened 0.31 percent higher at 14,970.77 points.