Stocks in Asia moved slowly Thursday following a quarter-percent reduction in U.S. interest rates. Investors worldwide watched closely; meanwhile, metals and likewise currencies showed only slight responses. Folks started watching what the Bank of Japan might do, alongside talks happening in South Korea—President Trump from the U.S. was meeting with China’s President Xi.
Japan’s central bank (BoJ) maintained its key interest rate of 0.5%, which was widely expected. Officials stated that further adjustments will be determined by the economy’s performance. Even with that firm decision, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.6%, reaching a new high of 51,638. Because inflation remained higher than desired, combined with the expectation that policymakers would continue to assist, the yen’s weakness fueled positive sentiment.
The market felt slightly better as a result of hopeful talk following Trump and Xi’s meetings in Busan. They both thought the conversation went well, so the consensus is that they roughly agree on some trade points. People involved are now attempting to reach a small agreement, one that could lower import taxes and calm things down for businesses worldwide.
Across Asia, markets showed mixed movement. Chinese stocks—the CSI 300 and the Shanghai Composite – both ticked upward a slight 0.1%. However, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose more noticeably, gaining 0.6%. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped by 0.4%, though India’s Nifty 50 began trading down only 0.3%.
