Asia-Pacific Markets Mixed as China Rebounds and Australia Nears Record High

Asia-Pacific markets showed mixed results on Friday, with mainland Chinese markets recovering from a six-year low and Australia approaching a near-record high.

China’s CSI 300 index edged up after closing at its lowest level since January 2019, at 3,127.47 on Thursday. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.21%, pushing closer to its all-time high of 8,148.7.

Market Performance Overview

In South Korea, the Kospi index dropped by 0.26%, while the Kosdaq, focusing on small-cap stocks, declined 0.42%. Samsung Electronics saw nearly a 3% dip due to an ongoing workers’ strike at its India plant.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.89%, with the broader Topix down 0.84%. In currency markets, the yen strengthened 0.49% against the U.S. dollar, sitting at 141.1, close to its nine-month low of 140.7 reached earlier this week.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gained 1.11%, contributing positively to the mixed performance across the region.

Global Market Context

In the U.S., major indices performed well overnight. The S&P 500 extended its winning streak to four days, rising by 0.75%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.58%. The Nasdaq Composite led with a 1% gain.

These developments come ahead of next week’s Federal Reserve meeting, following data on the U.S. producer price index (PPI) showing a 0.2% month-on-month increase, matching forecasts. On an annual basis, the PPI rose by 1.7%.