Asian markets settle mostly down on Thursday
South Korea's Kospi index ended nearly flat after hitting a fresh all-time high earlier in the session
Asian markets settled mostly down on Thursday ahead of key US jobs data due this week that could influence the Federal Reserve's rate trajectory. Japanese shares tumbled amid profit-taking in the AI sector and as trade tensions heat up with China by launching an anti-dumping investigation into dichlorosilane, a critical chemical gas used in the manufacture of semiconductors and solar panels. Meanwhile, Japan's real wages in November dropped 2.8% from a year earlier, falling for the 11th straight month and at the fastest pace since last January. Although, South Korea's Kospi index ended nearly flat after hitting a fresh all-time high earlier in the session, driven by strong demand for semiconductor shares and robust earnings forecasts from companies like Samsung Electronics.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 4,082.98 | -2.79 | -0.07 |
| Hang Seng | 26,149.31 | -309.64 | -1.17 |
| Jakarta Composite | 8,925.47 | -19.34 | -0.22 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,669.57 | -7.26 | -0.43 |
| Nikkei 225 | 51,117.26 | -844.72 | -1.63 |
| Straits Times | 4,739.07 | -8.55 | -0.18 |
| KOSPI Composite | 4,552.37 | 1.31 | 0.03 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 30,360.55 | -74.92 | -0.25 |
