Asian markets trade mostly higher in early deals on Friday

23 Jan 2026 Evaluate
Asian markets traded mostly higher in early deals on Friday, backed by the strong Wall Street overnight, renewed AI optimism benefiting tech stocks and a subdued green back against its peers. Risk appetite hiked after the US President Trump withdrawn tariff threats against European nations regarding Greenland. Rally in technological, consumer and financial sector stocks led gains in the region. Japan’s Nikkei advanced ahead of the Bank of Japan’s latest policy decision and on softer local currency yen. Meanwhile, Japan’s headline inflation eased to 2.1% in December, marking its lowest level since March 2022.

Nikkei 225 rose by 188.11 points or 0.35% to 53,877.00, Straits Times surge by 56.18 points or 1.16% to 4,884.50, Hang Seng higher by 109.04 points 0.41% to 26,739.00, Taiwan weighted added by 197.40 points or 0.62% to 31,943.48, KOSPI Index increased by 27.16 points or 0.55% to 4,979.69, and Shanghai Composite jumped by 11.00 points or 0.27% to 4,133.58.

On the flip side, Jakarta Composite tumbled by 114.72 points 1.28% to 8,877.46, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI index down by 1.28 points or 0.07% to 1,715.86.

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