Market Movements in the Asia-Pacific Region

On Friday, the Asia-Pacific stock markets experienced mixed trading sessions. Investors were keenly analyzing the latest economic data from Japan, which showed a nuanced picture of the country's economic health.

Japan's Economic Indicators

The Statistics Bureau of Japan revealed that the unemployment rate remained steady at 2.4%. Meanwhile, Tokyo's annual inflation rate saw an increase, climbing to 3.4%. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry also shared insights, indicating a 0.3% rise in industrial output, contrasting with a 0.7% decline in retail sales for December.

Regional Market Performance

South Korea's Kospi index witnessed a downturn, decreasing by 1.15%. In contrast, Japan's Nikkei 225 remained unchanged, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 enjoyed a modest gain of 0.39%. Markets in Hong Kong and China remained closed due to holidays.

Currency Movements

In currency markets, the dollar saw a slight decrease against the yen, trading 0.18% lower.