Market Overview

Following the Bank of Japan's (BoJ) decision to maintain its benchmark interest rate at 0.5%, major stock markets in the Asia-Pacific region showed mixed responses. This decision comes amidst a backdrop of Japan's declining industrial production in January and a significant shift in the country's trade balance from a deficit to a surplus in February.

Regional Market Performance

Japan's Nikkei and Hong Kong's Hang Seng indices remained stable, showing little change. Conversely, South Korea's Kospi experienced a notable rise of 0.71%. On the other hand, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 saw a decline of 0.41% at the close. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite and Shenzhen Composite indices both recorded slight decreases.

Currency Movements

The dollar strengthened against the yen, marking a 0.35% increase, with the exchange rate standing at ¥149.7880.