Friday 21st March 2025: Asian Markets Mixed as Hong Kong Leads Losses; U.S. Stocks Struggle

Global Markets:

•  Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.07%, Shanghai Composite down 1.09%, Hang Seng down 2.21% ASX up 0.17%
• Commodities : Gold at $3033.35 (0.60%), Silver at $33.5 (0.68%), Brent Oil at $72.35 (0.5%), WTI Oil at $68.31 (0.54%)
• Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.250, UK 10-year yield at 4.6495, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7770

News & Data:

• (GBP) Official Bank Rate 4.50%  to 4.50% expected

Markets Update:

Asian markets traded mixed on Friday amid uncertainty about the U.S. economy, with Hong Kong stocks leading losses. The Hang Seng Index dropped 1.90%, weighed down by healthcare and consumer cyclical stocks, while China’s CSI 300 fell 1.11%.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.36%, and the Topix climbed 0.7%, reaching its highest level since last July. South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.14%, but the Kosdaq slipped 0.38%. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.37%.

Japan’s annual inflation slowed to 3.7% in February from 4% in January, marking a slight easing from a two-year high.

U.S. stock futures hovered near the flatline after Wednesday’s Federal Reserve-fueled rally lost momentum. Overnight, the S&P 500 fell 0.22% to 5,662.89, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.33% to 17,691.63, pressured by losses in Apple and Alphabet. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 11.31 points (0.03%), closing at 41,953.32.

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The post Friday 21st March 2025: Asian Markets Mixed as Hong Kong Leads Losses; U.S. Stocks Struggle first appeared on IC Markets | Official Blog.