Asian markets settled mostly higher on Friday, tracking an overnight rally on Wall Street by growth and technology shares after Nvidia's bumper earnings and outlook. Chinese shares gained on signs of improving property market after data showed home prices declined at a slower pace for both new and existing units in January. However, some gains were limited by heightened geopolitical tensions in the market. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet has agreed to send a negotiating team to Gaza for truce talks taking place in Paris as pressure builds around the Middle East. Meanwhile, US Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he needed more evidence that inflation was cooling, before the Fed would consider interest rate cuts. Japanese market was closed for a public holiday.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 3,004.88 | 16.52 | 0.55 |
| Hang Seng | 16,725.86 | -17.09 | -0.10 |
| Jakarta Composite | 7,295.10 | -44.54 | -0.61 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,549.11 | 3.62 | 0.23 |
| Nikkei 225 | -- | -- | -- |
| Straits Times | 3,184.91 | -38.03 | -1.19 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,667.70 | 3.43 | 0.13 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 18,889.19 | 36.41 | 0.19 |
