Asia-Pacific Markets React to Economic Data

Investors across the Asia-Pacific region had a mixed reaction to the latest economic data released on Thursday. According to S&P Global, Australia's services activity index rose to 51.2 in January, signaling a positive trend. Meanwhile, Japan saw its services activity increase to 53, indicating a robust expansion. However, China's services activity index dropped to 51, reflecting a slight slowdown in the sector.

Stock Market Movements

At 3:09 am CET, Japan's Nikkei 225 remained flat, showcasing a steady market. In contrast, Hong Kong's Hang Seng experienced a significant drop of 1.43% by 03:10 am CET. South Korea's Kospi, on the other hand, enjoyed a 0.91% increase shortly after. Mainland China presented a mixed picture, with the Shanghai Composite falling by 0.51%, while the Shenzhen Composite saw a modest rise of 0.27% by 3:13 am CET. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 also saw an upward trend, increasing by 0.62% at 3:14 am CET.

Currency Fluctuations

The currency markets also saw some movement, with the dollar trading 0.57% lower against the yen at 3:15 am CET, priced at 153.37550.