Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose on Friday after the US stock market gained overnight, driven by Big Tech earnings assessments. Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix indices advanced for the third straight day, with the Nikkei 225 rising 0.15% to close at 39,572.49. Tokyo’s consumer price index, excluding fresh food, rose 2.5% year on year in January, matching Reuters’ estimates.
In South Korea, the Kospi retreated 0.77%, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose for the third consecutive day to close at an all-time high, driven by a 3.7% producer price index increase through the December 2024 quarter. Indian stocks were trading higher ahead of the country’s Union Budget on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump announced plans to implement 25% tariffs on US imports from Canada and Mexico, causing stocks to cut gains late in the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.38%, while gold futures hit a fresh all-time high as investors assessed latest GDP data. The S&P Information Technology Sector was trading 1% lower on Thursday, leading the index’s declines for the day.
Overall, Asia markets followed US stocks higher, with some sectors, like consumer staples and industrials, outperforming others, such as technology and energy.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/31/asia-markets-live-updates-japan-data.html