Nikkei 225, Nifty 50, Kospi, Hang Seng Index
Mount Fuji and the Shinjuku skyline in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Asian markets saw positive movements on Friday, following the record-breaking performance of Wall Street. This surge came after the Federal Reserve’s decision to lower interest rates.
The Fed’s decision to reduce the overnight borrowing rate to 3.5%-3.75% led to gains in Japan’s Nikkei 225, which rose by 0.96%, and South Korea’s Kospi, which advanced by 0.29%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 also experienced a 0.83% increase.
In other markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose by 0.71%, while China’s CSI 300 declined slightly by 0.2%. Chinese leaders emphasized economic support measures, focusing on boosting consumption and stabilizing the property sector.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 reached new highs as investors shifted their focus from tech stocks to sectors poised to benefit from a growing economy post-rate cut.
The Dow closed at 48,704.01, setting a new record, while the S&P 500 settled at 6,901.00, also reaching a new high. However, the Nasdaq Composite experienced a slight pullback, finishing at 23,593.86.
—Contributors: CNBC’s Evelyn Cheng, Sean Conlon, and Pia Singh
