Asian markets delivered a mixed performance on Wednesday as investors weighed ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East alongside a subdued session on Wall Street, where technology stocks came under pressure.
By 11:35 am AEST (1:35 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index had gained 0.7%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.8% and South Korea’s KOSPI 200 dropped 2.3%.
Fresh economic data from the region showed inflation dynamics continuing to moderate in key economies.
In Japan, the producer price index (PPI) rose 0.9% in May compared with the previous month, according to the Bank of Japan.
While the reading came in above expectations, it marked a slowdown from April’s 2.3% increase.
On a year-on-year basis, producer prices rose 6.3%.
In China, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the consumer price index (CPI) increased 1.2% in May compared with a year earlier, matching April’s reading but coming in slightly below market expectations of 1.3%.
On a monthly basis, CPI fell 0.1% in May, compared with a 0.3% rise previously and versus expectations for a 0.2% decline.
In a separate release, China’s wholesale prices rose at the fastest pace in nearly four years in May, driven by surging raw material costs linked to the Iran war and a global artificial intelligence investment boom, while consumer inflation came in below expectations.
The PPI jumped 3.9% year-on-year, the highest level since July 2022, exceeding forecasts of 3.8% and accelerating from April’s 2.8% gain.
On Wall Street overnight, U.S. equities finished mixed as technology stocks led declines. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2%, the S&P 500 fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1%.
Among commodities, ICE Brent crude fell 3% to settle at $91.45 per barrel, while spot gold declined 1.6% to its lowest level since 23 March, closing at $4,260.32 per ounce.
In mainland China, equities advanced on Tuesday, with the SSE Composite Index rising 1.3% to 4,010.0 and the CSI 300 gaining 1.9% to 4,801.8.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipped 0.4% to 24,565.9, while India’s BSE Sensex added 0.5% to finish at 73,918.8.
European markets also ended the previous session in mixed territory. The UK’s FTSE 100 declined 1.4% to 10,227.3, Germany’s DAX fell 0.7% to 24,433.1, and France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.1% to 8,203.4.
