Delhi, 30 April (H.S.): Asia-Pacific markets displayed mixed performance on Wednesday as investors analyzed significant economic data from the region. Japan’s Nikkei 225 increased by 0.14%, with the Topix rising by 0.5%. In contrast, South Korea’s Kospi fell by 0.2% and the Kosdaq decreased by 0.25%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 remained stable, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped by 0.53%. China’s CSI 300 showed no significant change after a disappointing report indicated that China’s manufacturing activity had unexpectedly contracted in April.

The Bank of Japan commenced its policy meeting on Wednesday, expected to maintain the rate at 0.5% when concluding on Thursday. In other economic news, Australia’s first-quarter inflation rose by 2.4% year-on-year, surpassing expectations of 2.3%. The slump in China’s manufacturing, attributed to heightened trade tensions with the U.S., marked its lowest point in almost two years.

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism regarding tariff negotiations with India, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent mentioned ongoing discussions with Japan and evolving talks with South Korea concerning trade agreements. On the U.S. market front, futures corresponding to the Dow Jones Industrial Average showed little change following the index’s extended winning streak, while the Dow closed up 300.03 points, marking its longest rally since July. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also posted gains on the day.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar