Asia-Pacific Markets React to Japan's Political Changes

In a surprising turn of events, Japan's Nikkei 225 index gained 0.31% at 4:00 am CET, shrugging off the political uncertainty following the ruling coalition's loss of majority in the upper house over the weekend.

Mixed Performance Across the Region

While Japan's market showed resilience, the scene across Asia-Pacific was mixed. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.19%, contrasting with South Korea's Kospi Composite, which fell by 0.33%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng and China's Shanghai Composite also saw slight declines, whereas the Shenzhen Composite edged up by 0.16%.

Currency Movements

The dollar strengthened slightly against the yen, trading 0.11% higher at ¥147.5370 by 4:04 am CET, indicating a cautious but steady investor sentiment in the region.