KEEPING SCORE: Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index fell 0.5 percent to 19,365.80 in morning trading as top officials blasted North Korea over the missile launches. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index added 0.4 percent to 23,640.03 and the Shanghai Composite index edged 0.4 percent higher to 3,230.10. NORTH KOREA: South Korean and Japanese officials said North Korea fired four banned ballistic missiles that flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), in an apparent reaction to huge military drills by Washington and Seoul that Pyongyang insists are an invasion rehearsal. "As in previous years, maintaining economic and social stability appears to be a prime objective of the government in 2017. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 0.1 percent to 2,383.12 and the Nasdaq composite index rose 0.2 percent to 5,870.75.

Source: ABC News March 06, 2017 02:03 UTC