Asia markets mixed after S&P 500 hits record, South Korea pushes fresh highs
Melbourne, Australia
Kieran Stone | Moment | Getty Images
Asia-Pacific markets showed mixed performance on Wednesday, diverging from Wall Street’s record high close for the S&P 500.
The S&P 500 closed at a record high of 6,978.60, driven by gains in Apple and Microsoft.
South Korea’s Kospi and Kosdaq continued to set new records, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix experienced declines.
The yen strengthened against the dollar, reaching a three-month high amidst intervention expectations.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index and China’s CSI 300 index posted gains, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 reversed earlier gains.
Australia reported headline inflation at 3.6% in the last quarter of 2025, the highest in six quarters.
Spot gold prices reached a new record of $5,255.71 per ounce.
In the U.S., the Nasdaq Composite rose, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a decline ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision.
Traders are anticipating hints on longer-term changes to monetary policy from the central bank.
—CNBC’s Sean Conlon and Pia Singh contributed to this report.
