Asian stock markets mostly fell in subdued trading following a mixed close in US stocks.
The S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney declined slightly by 0.2% to 7,716.50. The Kospi in South Korea rose by 0.7% to 2,711.48. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.4% to 17,010.59, while the Shanghai Composite remained nearly flat at 3,044.17.
In Tokyo, the stock market overcame initial losses to finish higher, buoyed by strong performances from major companies, including Uniqlo’s parent firm.
The Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo climbed 0.3%, or 111.41 points, to end at 38,807.38, and the broader Topix index increased by 0.5%, or 13.08 points, to 2,661.59.
Nissan’s shares surged 2.3% following an unverified report in Japanese media suggesting the company, known for the Leaf electric vehicle, might soon announce an EV partnership with Honda. Honda’s stock rose nearly 1%. Nissan did not comment on the report, and Honda did not respond to a request for comment.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 edged down 0.2% from its previous day’s record high, closing at 5,165.31. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.1%, reaching 39,043.32, close to its recent record. The Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.5% to 16,177.77.
Yields on benchmark 10-year US Treasury bonds increased to 4.18% from 4.15% the previous day.
