Asian markets settled mostly higher on Friday, while trading volumes remained thin due to holidays in Japan and China. Traders were awaiting key US economic data due next week, including the US payrolls report and jobless data might provide additional clues on whether the next Federal Reserve chief would opt for deeper interest-rate cuts. Seoul shares rallied to a record high in the first trading session of 2026 after data showed South Korea's outbound shipments surpassed the $700 billion mark for the first time in 2025, driven by robust global demand for semiconductors and record automobile sales. Moreover, Hong Kong shares surged due to strong rally in technology shares.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | -- | -- | -- |
| Hang Seng | 26,338.47 | 707.93 | 2.76 |
| Jakarta Composite | 8,748.13 | 101.20 | 1.17 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,669.76 | -10.35 | -0.62 |
| Nikkei 225 | -- | -- | -- |
| Straits Times | 4,656.12 | 9.91 | 0.21 |
| KOSPI Composite | 4,309.63 | 95.46 | 2.27 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 29,349.81 | 386.21 | 1.33 |
