Asia-Pacific Markets Respond to Economic Indicators

On Thursday, the Asia-Pacific region witnessed mostly higher trading activities as investors digested the latest economic data and updates regarding the US imposition of trade tariffs.

South Korea and Australia Report Economic Updates

Data from South Korea indicated a drop in the country's inflation rate to 2%. Meanwhile, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported a trade surplus of 5.6 billion Australian dollars in January, offering a mixed bag of economic indicators for investors to consider.

Market Movements Across the Region

By 7:16 am CET, Japan's Nikkei 225 had increased by 0.88%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 saw a decrease of 0.57% at the close. South Korea's Kospi advanced by 0.43% at 7:17 am CET. In mainland China, the Shenzhen Composite improved by 1.76%, and the Shanghai Composite gained 1.22%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also rose significantly by 2.96%.

Currency Movements

At 7:19 am CET, the dollar strengthened by 0.23% against the Japanese yen, trading at ¥1.08174, reflecting the dynamic nature of currency markets in response to economic data.