Asian markets traded mostly lower on Friday as investors assessed Japan’s latest inflation figures while concerns over global economic trends and potential U.S. tariffs weighed on sentiment.
By 12:00 pm AEDT (1:00 am GMT) South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.4%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.2%, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 remained flat.
Among data releases, Japan's annualised inflation rate climbed to 4% in January, its highest level since January 2023, strengthening expectations that the Bank of Japan may consider interest rate hikes.
In the U.S., markets pulled back after the S&P 500 reached record highs for two straight sessions. A weak forecast from retail giant Walmart contributed to investor concerns over the economic outlook, leading to declines in major indices.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 450.94 points, or 1.01%, to close at 44,176.65. The S&P 500 slipped 0.43% to 6,117.52, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.47% to 19,962.36.
Commodity markets saw Brent crude rise $0.44, or 0.6%, to $76.48 per barrel, while spot gold remained near record highs at $2,939.79 per ounce.
Elsewhere in Asia, in China, the SSE Composite remained flat at 3,350.8, while the CSI 300 eased 0.3% to 3,928.9.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dipped 0.1% to 22,944.2, and India’s BSE Sensex lost 0.3% to 75,736.
European markets closed with mixed results. The UK’s FTSE 100 declined 0.6% to 8,663, while Germany’s DAX fell 0.5% to 22,314.7. France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.2% to 8,122.6.
