Asian stock markets showed mixed performance on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, amid concerns over a potential global trade war and its impact on inflation. According to RTTNews and Reuters, the Australian S&P/ASX 200 rose by 0.33% to 8,512.30, while Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 0.16% to 38,863.82.
US Fed Chair Jerome Powell's cautious remarks on interest-rate cuts also influenced market sentiment. The S&P 500 edged up 0.03% to 6,068.50, the Dow rose 0.3% to 44,593.65, and the Nasdaq fell 0.4% to 19,643.86.
In Australia, gains in energy and financial stocks were partially offset by weakness in mining and technology. Standout performers included Computershare, soaring 14% after a 28% increase in earnings.
In Japan, technology stocks led gains, but automakers faced declines. M3 surged 18%, becoming the top percentage gainer on the Nikkei. Conversely, Sumco plunged more than 7% and Nissan Motor slipped 6.8%.
Other Asian markets showed varied performance, with Hong Kong up 1.8%, while China, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia were higher by between 0.1 and 0.7 percent each. New Zealand is down 0.1 percent. Singapore is relatively flat.
The market awaits further U.S. CPI data for insights into future monetary policy, with the Fed's next meeting scheduled for March 18-19.