What Happened
Asia-Pacific markets showed a mixed performance on Thursday as investors reacted to various economic data releases, with Chinese stocks rising on government intervention while South Korea and Australia posted declines.
Market Performance
- Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index: Fell 0.65%.
- CSI 300 (China): Gained 1.01% to 3,835.34.
- Australia’s S&P/ASX 200: Dropped 0.61% to 8,378.7.
- Japan’s Nikkei 225: Rose 0.79% to 39,958.87.
- South Korea’s Kospi: Declined 1.24% to 2,515.49.
China’s Market Boost
China’s financial regulators urged large state-owned mutual funds and insurers to buy more shares to stabilize the struggling stock market, contributing to gains in the CSI 300 index.
South Korea’s Economic Data
South Korea’s economy expanded 1.2% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, marking its slowest growth since Q2 2023, contributing to declines in the Kospi and Kosdaq indices.
Global Market Influence
Overnight, U.S. markets rallied with the S&P 500 hitting an all-time high of 6,100.81, fueled by AI-driven optimism and policy expectations from President Donald Trump’s new administration.
