Equity indices in the Asia-Pacific region ended Thursday on a mixed note with South Korea’s Kospi (-1.2%) giving up an intraday gain even though Samsung reported strong results.
Japan’s Nikkei: +0.7%,
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng: +0.2%,
China’s Shanghai Composite: -0.6%,
India’s Sensex: +0.4%,
South Korea’s Kospi: -1.2%,
Australia’s ASX All Ordinaries: -0.8%.
Japan
July Household Confidence 34.9 (expected 34.2; last 33.8)
Japan’s cabinet lowered its domestic growth forecast for FY26 to 0.9% from 1.3% and raised the CPI outlook to 2.2% from 1.9%.
The Bank of Japan will release its latest policy Statement overnight, but a hike is not expected at this time.
Japan’s Prime Minister Takaichi ordered the lowering of a food sales tax to 1% from 8%, starting in April, as expected.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority kept its policy rate at 4.00%, following in the footsteps of the Fed.
Australia
June Building Approvals 7.2% m/m (expected -0.7%; last -1.6%); 8.9% yr/yr (last 5.5%).
Q2 Import Price Index 5.7% qtr/qtr (expected 0.0%; last 0.1%) and Export Price Index 1.1% qtr/qtr (last 0.5%)
New Zealand
July ANZ Business Confidence 56.1 (last 36.6)