Asian markets settled mostly higher on Wednesday amid investors awaited a possible US Supreme Court ruling on the legality of President Donald Trump's emergency tariffs, with speculators assigning a 73% chance that the apex court will declare Trump's tariffs illegal. Meanwhile, rate cut expectations by the US Federal Reserve and reports of an imminent snap election in Japan have also helped market rally. Markets shrugged off data that showed US consumer prices rose 2.7% year-on-year in December. Japanese shares hit another record high, while the yen fell to its weakest level in 18 months amid hopes that a bigger majority for Takaichi will help her implement her agenda of more proactive fiscal spending. Hong Kong shares rose after China announced a record trade surplus of nearly $1.2 trillion in 2025. However, Chinese shares declined after authorities lifted the minimum margin requirement for financing stock purchases to 100% from 80%, reinforcing China’s push to curb excessive speculation in capital markets.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 4,126.09 | -12.67 | -0.31 |
| Hang Seng | 26,999.81 | 151.34 | 0.56 |
| Jakarta Composite | 9,032.59 | 84.28 | 0.93 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,710.91 | 2.71 | 0.16 |
| Nikkei 225 | 54,341.23 | 792.07 | 1.48 |
| Straits Times | 4,812.51 | 5.38 | 0.11 |
| KOSPI Composite | 4,723.10 | 30.46 | 0.65 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 30,941.78 | 234.56 | 0.76 |
