Asia opens mixed ahead of ECB decisions

Asian stock indices opened the fourth session of the week and month mixed, with Australia, New Zealand, South Korea higher, while China and Hong Kong lost ground. 

Earlier Australian data showed the trade surplus down to 8.8 billion Australian dollars from 10.45 billion in March, while retail sales fell 17.7%.

The European Central Bank is expected to maintain rates at current levels while increasing the program to purchase bonds by 500 billion euros to 1.25 trillion euro.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has just agreed on a massive 130 billion euro stimulus package to support companies and investor spending in Europe'a largest economy. 

The World Health Organization warned there's no evidence of an effective cure to lower the death rate by Covid 19, with total infections passing 6.3 million worldwide and the death toll standing at 380,000. 

Japan's TOPEX inched down 0.01%, while Nikkei 225 climbed 0..08% to 22,631. 

China's CSI 300 declined 0.30%, while Shanghai lost 0.37% to 2,912. 

Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.33%, while South Korea's KOSPI advanced 0.34% to 2,154. 

New Zealand's NZX 50 rose 0.55%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.44% to 5,967.