Asian markets ended mostly higher on Thursday amid growing expectations of imminent U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts. Japanese markets ended sharply higher after the Jaan Innovation Party emerged as a possible coalition partner for the LDP ahead of a parliamentary vote to decide the prime minister expected next week. Investors shrugged off data that showed Japan's core machinery orders unexpectedly declined month-over-month in August. Seoul stocks hit a new peak as tech stocks surged on optimism over AI-driven demand. However, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended marginally lower after data showed China's new bank loans rose less than expected in September. There was some cautiousness amid rising Sino-U.S. tensions. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed Beijing's rare earth export curbs as 'China versus the world’, vowing that Washington and its allies would ‘neither be commanded nor controlled.'
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 3,916.23 | 4.02 | 0.10 |
| Hang Seng | 25,888.51 | -22.09 | -0.09 |
| Jakarta Composite | 8,124.76 | 73.58 | 0.91 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,612.29 | 0.74 | 0.05 |
| Nikkei 225 | 48,277.74 | 605.07 | 1.27 |
| Straits Times | 4,356.20 | -12.22 | -0.28 |
| KOSPI Composite | 3,748.37 | 91.09 | 2.43 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 27,647.87 | 372.16 | 1.35 |
