Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose Wednesday, following gains on Wall Street that saw the NASDAQ Composite surge to record highs after November’s inflation report met expectations.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index triumphed 476.91 points, or 1.2%, to 39,849.14.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng popped 242 points, or 1.2%, to 20,497.05.
Traders in Asia assessed jobs data from Australia, which showed the country’s unemployment rate fell to an eight-month low of 3.9% in November, dropping from 4.1% the month prior. A poll of economists from Reuters had expected the rate to rise to 4.2%.
On Thursday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said in a TV address that he had no intention to resign from office despite pressure from the public and opposition parties following his brief martial law declaration last week.
Following the statements, the leader of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) threw his support behind a plan for a second parliamentary vote to impeach the President, according to local media. The first impeachment failed to pass after most ruling party members boycotted the vote.
In other markets
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 recovered 39.67 points, or 1%, to 4,028.50.
In Taiwan, the Taiex hiked 143.17 points, or 0.6%, to 23,046.80
In Korea, the Kospi index grabbed 39.61 points, or 1.6%, to 2,482.12
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index regained 16.45 points, or 0.4%, at 3,809.27
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 sagged 68.46 points, or 0.5%, to 12,692.72.
In Australia, the ASX 200 slipped 23.34 points, or 0.3%, to 8,330.25.
