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Asian Markets
APAC markets mixed amid holidays; RBA flags risks
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Tuesday, with several major exchanges shut for public holidays and investors digesting the latest policy minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). By 11:40 am AEDT (12:40 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.5%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.3%. South Korea’s KOSPI 200 remained closed for a public holiday. Among data releases, minutes from the RBA’s latest meeting revealed policymakers’ concerns over emerging geopolitical and institutional risks, including “military action, tariff developments and new threats to the independence of the U.S. Federal Reserve”, while the "U.S. dollar remained lower and gold and silver prices higher than at the start of the year". The minutes also pointed to rising longer-term bond yields domestically: "Longer term bond yields in Australia had moved higher, reflecting changed expectations for the cash rate. Members noted that measures of longer term inflation expectations appeared well anchored and consistent with central banks’ inflation targets. "However, measures of inflation expectations at the two-year horizon had increased, most noticeably in Australia." Policymakers also signalled that financial conditions may no longer be
Asian Markets
APAC markets tick higher; Japan GDP misses estimates
Asia-Pacific equities opened modestly higher on Monday, with trading subdued amid public holidays in South Korea and China, as investors assessed softer-than-expected growth data from Japan. By 11:30 am AEDT (12:30 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.2%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 also gained 0.2%, hovering near record highs. South Korea’s KOSPI 200 remained closed for a public holiday, contributing to lighter regional volumes. Fresh data showed Japan’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 0.1% quarter-on-quarter in the final three months of 2025, reversing a 0.7% contraction in the third quarter and narrowly avoiding a technical recession. A technical recession is commonly defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. However, the result fell short of economists’ expectations for a 0.4% expansion. On an annualised basis, gross domestic product rose 0.2%, significantly below forecasts of 1.6%, though it marked a rebound from the prior quarter’s 2.3% annualised decline. Year-on-year, fourth-quarter GDP grew 0.1%, slowing from 0.6% in the previous quarter. According to Japan’s Cabinet Office, private consumption was the primary driver of growth during the quarter, helping offset broader eco
Asian Markets
APAC markets retreat as AI fears weigh
Asia-Pacific equities opened mostly lower on Friday, tracking a third consecutive day of losses on Wall Street overnight as mounting fears over artificial intelligence disruption unsettled global investors. By 11:50 am AEDT (12:50 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 1.1%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.6%. South Korea’s KOSPI 200 declined 0.6%. In South Korea, fresh economic data showed mixed price dynamics. The country’s export price index, measured in won terms, rose 4.0% month on month and increased 7.8% year on year in January 2026. Meanwhile, the import price index edged up 0.4% from the previous month but was down 1.2% compared with a year earlier. The regional pullback mirrored the cautious tone in U.S. markets, where certain industries have come under sustained pressure this year following the release of new AI tools capable of replicating aspects of their operations or reducing demand for their services. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.3%, the S&P 500 lost 1.6%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 2%. Shares of trucking and logistics firms have been particularly affected, amid fears that AI-driven freight optimisation could eliminate inefficiencies and reduce reliance on intermediaries. R
Asian Markets
APAC markets hit records despite US wobble
Asia-Pacific markets advanced on Thursday, extending their rally and pushing several benchmarks to record highs despite lingering concerns over artificial intelligence valuations and softer economic signals from Wall Street. By 11:50 am AEDT (12:50 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was trading 0.5% higher, sitting just 0.3% below its October record closing high of 9,094.7. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.6%, resuming trade after a public holiday on Wednesday and extending its run to fresh record highs. South Korea’s KOSPI 200 climbed 1.9%, also reaching a new peak. Among economic releases, Japan’s producer price index rose 0.2% month-on-month, in line with market expectations. The positive tone in Asia contrasted with a subdued performance in the United States overnight. On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1%, the S&P 500 finished virtually unchanged, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.2%. In commodities, Brent crude settled 0.9% higher at US$69.40 per barrel, marking its highest level since August 2025. Spot gold rose 1.2% to $5,084.28 per ounce. On Wednesday in mainland China, the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.1% to 4,132.0, while the CSI 300 fell 0.2% to close at 4,713.8. Hong Kong’s Han
Asian Markets
APAC markets rise; China inflation in focus
Asia-Pacific markets traded higher on Wednesday, even as concerns over artificial intelligence and softer economic data unsettled United States investors overnight. By 11:45 am AEDT (12:45 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was trading 1.1% higher, while South Korea’s KOSPI 200 ticked up 0.1%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was closed for a public holiday. In South Korea, fresh labour market data showed the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3% in January 2026, down from a downwardly revised 3.3% in December, which had marked a one-year high. Meanwhile, China's consumer price index rose 0.2% in January from a year earlier, according to data released Wednesday by the National Bureau of Statistics, undershooting economists’ forecasts of a 0.4% increase, while the producer price index came in at -1.4% compared with -1.9% in December. Overnight on Wall Street, major benchmarks delivered a mixed performance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1% to a fresh record closing high, while the S&P 500 fell 0.3% and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.6%, as investors weighed AI-related pressures on financial stocks and weaker consumer spending data. In commodities, Brent crude settled 0.4% lower at US$68.80 per barrel on Tuesda

Asian Markets
APAC shares on the rise; Nikkei 225 renews record high
Asia-Pacific markets opened higher on Tuesday, led by Japan’s Nikkei 225, which surged to a fresh record high as investors continued to embrace the so-called “Takaichi trade” following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s landslide Lower House victory. The upbeat regional tone also reflected renewed risk appetite on Wall Street overnight, where investors rotated back into major technology stocks. By 11:30 am AEDT (12:30 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was trading 0.4% higher. Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 1.6% to post a new all-time high, while South Korea’s KOSPI 200 advanced 0.6%. In Australia, fresh data showed consumer sentiment weakened in February following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s recent decision to lift interest rates. The Westpac–Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index fell 2.6% to 90.5 from 92.9 in January. Matthew Hassan, Head of Australian Macro-Forecasting at Westpac, noted: "Previous surveys showed a significant weakening in sentiment as a lift in inflation stoked fears that the RBA was about to raise interest rates. Those fears were realised in February. "The RBA’s 25bp hike – the first in over two years – has put renewed pressure on finances, dented attitudes towards major purchases and raise
Asian Markets
APAC markets slide as US tech sell-off extends
Asia-Pacific markets traded mostly lower on Thursday as the technology-led sell-off on Wall Street gathered pace, with cryptocurrencies also extending losses. By 12:20 pm AEDT (1:20 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 1.9%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.9%, while South Korea’s KOSPI 200 dropped 3.5%. In South Korea, fresh data showed the country recorded its largest-ever annual current account surplus in 2025, underpinned by robust exports and strong semiconductor demand. According to the Bank of Korea, the surplus totalled US$123.05 billion, up from $99.97 billion a year earlier. The figure exceeded the central bank’s forecast of $115 billion and surpassed the previous record of $105.1 billion set in 2015. In Japan, economic data pointed to softer household demand. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported that average household spending fell 2.9% month-on-month in December to 351,522 yen, missing expectations for a 1.3% decline after a 6.2% surge in November. On an annual basis, spending dropped 2.6%, also below forecasts for a 0.5% fall following a 2.9% increase in the previous month. The regional weakness followed losses on Wall Street overnight. In the United States, the Dow Jones Indust
Asian Markets
APAC markets mixed as US tech rout weighs
Asia-Pacific equity markets traded mostly lower on Thursday, tracking renewed weakness in United States technology shares as the sell-off in growth stocks continued to ripple through global markets. By 11:55 am AEDT (12:55 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index was down 0.2%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged up 0.1%, while South Korea’s KOSPI 200 fell 2.2%. Economic data from Australia showed an improvement in the country’s trade position. The seasonally adjusted balance on goods rose by $776 million, widening the surplus to A$3.37 billion, according to fresh data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Goods credits, representing exports, increased by $440 million, or 1.0%, driven primarily by metal ores and minerals. Goods debits, which reflect imports, declined by $336 million, or 0.8%, led by a fall in other merchandise goods. The regional moves echoed a mixed session on Wall Street overnight. In the United States on Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.5%, while the S&P 500 fell 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite declined 1.5%, as technology stocks extended their recent retreat. Commodity markets were firmer. Brent crude rose 3.2% to settle at US$69.46 per barrel, while spot gold added 0.4% to finis
Asian Markets
APAC markets mixed after Wall St tech sell-off
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Wednesday, following losses on Wall Street overnight, where a sell-off in technology stocks weighed on investor sentiment. By 11:50 am AEDT (12:50 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged 0.1% lower. Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.2%, while South Korea’s KOSPI 200 rose 0.2%. Economic data showed continued strength in the services sector across parts of the region. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Australia services PMI rose to 56.3 from 51.1 in December, marking the highest level since February 2022 and above the flash estimate of 56.0. In Japan, services activity expanded at its fastest pace in nearly a year, with the S&P Global final Japan services PMI increasing to 53.7 in January from 51.6 in December, the 10th consecutive month of expansion and slightly above the flash reading of 53.4. In the United States, major benchmarks closed lower on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.3%, the S&P 500 fell 0.8%, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.4%, reflecting pressure on technology stocks. Commodity markets moved higher. Brent crude rose 1.6% to settle at $67.33 per barrel, while spot gold jumped 6.3% to $4,946.81 per ounce. In Asia on Tuesday, China’s Shanghai Comp