Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Wednesday, with investor sentiment fluctuating following overnight losses on Wall Street and ongoing concerns over global trade policy.
By 11:15 am AEST (1:15 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.1%, while South Korea’s Kospi 200 slipped 0.3%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 0.4%.
Market participants will be closely monitoring fresh data from China, with first-quarter GDP figures, industrial production, retail sales, and the unemployment rate set for release later in the session.
Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.4%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite inched down 0.05%.
In commodities, Brent crude eased 0.3% to US$64.67 per barrel, while spot gold advanced 0.6% to US$3,229.80 per ounce, reflecting ongoing demand for safe-haven assets.
In China, equities showed modest gains. The Shanghai Composite rose 0.2% to 3,267.7 and the CSI 300 added 0.1% to 3,761.2.
However, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index underperformed, falling 0.7% to 21,316.5.
India’s BSE Sensex outpaced regional peers with a sharp 2.1% jump to 76,734.9.
European markets traded higher, as London’s FTSE 100 rose 1.4% to 8,249.1, Germany’s DAX added 1.4% to 21,253.7, and France’s CAC 40 climbed 0.9% to 7,335.4.
