Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Friday, similar to Wall Street, while China prepares to report inflation data.
By 11:50 am AEDT (12:50 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 had climbed 0.3% to 8,742.40 points, Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up 0.8% to 51,502.98 and South Korea’s Kospi 200 was down 0.9% to 658.24.
China will release its consumer price index data for December today. Inflation is expected to rise 0.8% year-over-year, per Reuters-polled economists, compared with 0.7% the prior month.
Japan will also report household spending data and Indonesia will release consumer confidence data.
In the United States, the S&P 500 was roughly flat, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.4%.
Brent crude prices climbed 3.4% to US$61.99 per barrel, its highest close since 24 December. Spot gold was flat at $4,452.64 per ounce.
The Shanghai Composite dropped 0.1% to 4,082.98. The CSI 300 lost 0.8% to 4,737.65.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down 1.2% to 26,149 while India’s BSE Sensex fell 0.9% to 84,180.96.
European markets traded near the flatline, with the United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 unchanged at 10,044.69. Germany’s DAX was flat at 25,127.46 and France’s CAC 40 ticked up 0.1% to 8,243.47.
