Sri Lanka *market update* Asian stocks mixed, oil hovers near 2016 high

Asian stocks showed mixed performances ahead policy decisions from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropped 0.5 percent to 131.69 while Japan’s Topix index lost 0.8 percent. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index gained 0.8 percent. South Korea’s Kospi index and New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 Index both slid 0.2 percent. Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.5 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 0.1 percent, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index of mainland stocks traded in the city rose 0.2 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index was little changed.  (Apr 27, 2016 07.30 a.m)

In oil – crude oil prices hovered near 2016 highs with U.S. crude traded at USD44.52 a barrel, not far from USD44.83, the highest since early November scaled on Tuesday.