Asian Markets React to Wall Street's Performance

Following a lower close on Wall Street, major stock indexes in the Asia-Pacific region showed mixed results on Friday. Investors are closely monitoring the situation in South Korea, where political tensions are rising.

South Korea's Political Turmoil

In South Korea, investigators attempted to execute an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol but were blocked by military units. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has promised swift actions to stabilize the financial and foreign exchange markets if necessary.

Market Movements Across Asia

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 saw a 0.54% increase, while South Korea's Kospi Composite jumped by 1.95%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.12%, but the Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Composite in mainland China decreased by 0.22% and 0.68%, respectively. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce added 28 American companies to its export control list, signaling ongoing trade tensions.

Currency Fluctuations

The dollar traded 0.21% lower against the yen, highlighting the volatile nature of currency markets in the region.