In Seoul, the Kospi oscillated between gains and losses before closing up 0.49% at 4,170.63. The small-capitalization Kosdaq outperformed, climbing 1.31% to 918.37 as investors rotated into growth names tied to domestic demand. Trading volumes were in line with the monthly average, and the won held steady against the U.S. dollar.
Australian shares pared early weakness after the release of stronger-than-expected labor data. The seasonally adjusted jobless rate dipped to 4.3% in October, improving on the 4.4% consensus forecast compiled by Reuters and down from 4.5% in September. The S&P/ASX 200 still closed 0.52% lower at 8,753.4 as resource majors came under pressure, but the Australian dollar firmed to US$0.6556 on reduced expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia will consider near-term rate cuts.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.56%, while mainland Chinese shares were stronger, with the CSI 300 up 1.21%. Gains in financials and consumer-staples names outweighed softness in some property developers amid ongoing sector-specific headwinds. In India, the Nifty 50 advanced 0.47%, supported by information-technology and banking stocks.
The regional uptick followed a modestly mixed but generally constructive session on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.68% higher at a record 48,254.82, marking its first finish above the 48,000 threshold. A rotation into cyclical sectors continued to support the blue-chip index, though the broader S&P 500 edged up only 0.06% to 6,850.92 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.26% to 23,406.46. U.S. equity futures were slightly negative in early Asian trading, signaling a potential pause after recent gains.
Market sentiment improved globally after the White House confirmed that Trump had signed a short-term spending package, ending a 35-day partial government closure. The bill, approved earlier by both chambers of the U.S. Congress, funds federal agencies through 8 February, providing time for negotiations on longer-term appropriations.
Currency markets were broadly stable. Besides the firmer Australian dollar, the Japanese yen traded near ¥140.80 per dollar, little changed on the day, while the South Korean won hovered around ₩1,290. Regional sovereign bonds were mixed; Australian three-year yields rose on the jobs data, whereas Japanese government bond yields slipped as the Bank of Japan maintained steady purchase operations.
Investors now turn their attention to upcoming economic indicators, including China’s November manufacturing purchasing managers’ index and India’s GDP report, seeking further clarity on regional growth trajectories. In the United States, weekly jobless claims and personal consumption expenditure data are due later Thursday, offering additional guidance on the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.
Trading desks noted that volumes remained below long-term averages as the year-end holiday period approaches. Nonetheless, the swift resolution of the U.S. funding impasse appears to have reduced one immediate risk overhang, allowing Asia-Pacific markets to focus on domestic catalysts and corporate developments in the final weeks of the quarter.
Crédito da imagem: Jackal Pan | Moment | Getty Images
