Wednesday 26th February 2025: Asia-Pacific Mixed as U.S. Stocks Slide

Global Markets:

•  Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.58%, Shanghai Composite up 0.70%, Hang Seng up 3.14% ASX down 0.18%
• Commodities : Gold at $2931.35 (0.33%), Silver at $32.15 (1.08%), Brent Oil at $72.7 (0.5%), WTI Oil at $69.18 (0.38%)
• Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.327, UK 10-year yield at 4.5090, Germany 10-year yield at 2.4510

News & Data:

• (USD) CB Consumer Confidence 98.3  to 102.7 expected
• (USD) Richmond Manufacturing Index 6  to -3 expected

Markets Update:

Asia-Pacific markets had a mixed performance on Wednesday after key U.S. benchmarks fell overnight due to weaker-than-expected consumer confidence data. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index surged 2.38%, led by consumer and technology stocks, following the city’s announcement of a 1 billion Hong Kong dollar investment in AI research and development. The Hang Seng Tech Index jumped 3.63%, with JD.com, Xpeng, Alibaba, and Meituan posting significant gains.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix fell for the second consecutive day, losing 1.11% and 1.06%, respectively. South Korea’s Kospi remained flat, while the small-cap Kosdaq edged up 0.23%. In mainland China, the CSI300 index rose 0.37%. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.32%, extending its losses. The country’s consumer price index increased by 2.5% year over year in January, in line with expectations.

In the U.S., investor concerns over economic growth and global trade weighed on markets. The S&P 500 slipped 0.47%, marking its fourth consecutive decline and closing at 5,955.25. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.35% to 19,026.39, led by a 2.8% fall in Nvidia’s shares. However, the Dow Jones Industrial Average bucked the trend, rising 0.37% or 159.95 points to close at 43,621.16.

With market uncertainty rising, investors sought safety in U.S. bonds. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield fell below 4.3%, hitting its lowest level since December, reflecting cautious sentiment in the financial markets.

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The post Wednesday 26th February 2025: Asia-Pacific Mixed as U.S. Stocks Slide first appeared on IC Markets | Official Blog.