Asia-Pacific markets were mostly lower Wednesday, although Japan stocks extended gains after notching a 33-year high in the previous session, while Australia inflation hit a near 2-year low.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 2.2% and continued pushing 33-year highs, powered by health technology and consumer services stocks. The broader based Topix also saw gains, climbing 1.49%.
Australia’s weighted consumer price index — defined as the weighted average CPI of Australia’s eight capital cities — climbed 4.3% year on year, slightly lower than the 4.4% increase expected from a Reuters poll.
The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.69% and closed at 7,468.50, after snapping its four-day losing streak on Tuesday.
South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.7% as the country’s unemployment rate hit a 23-month high, while the Kosdaq tumbled 1.14%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 0.45%, while the mainland Chinese CSI 300 was 0.11% lower.
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