Asian shares open higher, US data calms latest Brexit fears

Asian share markets opened higher on Thursday after US economic data that took some of the sting out of Brexit scare.

The Australian dollar however slipped as the country’s triple A credit rating came under threat.

According to a report by Reuters the Aussie dollar fell half a U.S. cent to $0.7470 at first after Standard and Poor’s cut the country`s outlook to negative from stable citing a need for fiscal repair.

Later the Aussie stabilised at $0.7504.

MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.8 %.

Japanese shares were restrained by a strong yen and the Nikkei dipped 0.3 %.

Chinese shares opened lower as the benchmark - Shanghai Composite Index down 0.23% points to open at 3,009.35 points. 

ChiNext Index, tracking China`s NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, was down 0.03 % to open at 2,240.9 points. 

SGX Nifty opens higher at 8,343.50 points. 

NYMEX crude futures were quoted 22 cents firmer at $47.65 a barrel, while Brent added 17 cents to $48.97.

(With inputs from IANS)