Stock markets across Asia posted gains on Thursday, drawing momentum from a sustained rally on Wall Street that has bolstered global investor sentiment.
Wall Street's Winning Streak Lifts Asian Bourses
Inspired by a fourth consecutive day of advances in the United States, major Asian indices moved higher. The positive trend was underpinned by growing confidence that the Federal Reserve will implement another interest rate cut at its upcoming meeting on December 10. U.S. stock futures held steady in early trading, while oil prices experienced a slight downturn.
Key Market Movements Across the Region
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.0%, closing at 50,069.33. The bullish mood was further supported by reports that the Japanese government plans to issue 11 trillion yen (£70.5 billion) in new bonds to fund an economic stimulus package. Technology stocks were notable gainers, with SoftBank Group surging 2.8% and Kioxia Holdings rebounding with a 5.7% increase after a significant drop the previous day.
In China, the Hong Kong Hang Seng index rose 0.3% to 25,927.96, and the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.1% to 3,883.01. However, these gains were tempered by data revealing that profits for China's major industrial firms grew by a modest 1.9% year-on-year for the first ten months of 2025, a slowdown from the 3.2% growth recorded previously.
South Korea's Kospi advanced 0.7% to 3,986.54 after the Bank of Korea maintained its policy rate at 2.5%, a move aimed at supporting financial stability amidst a weakened currency and concerns over rising housing prices. Elsewhere, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 inched up less than 0.1%, and Taiwan's tech-heavy Taiex index added 0.2%.
The Foundation: A Robust Wall Street Session
The optimism originated from a strong performance on Wall Street the day before. The S&P 500 climbed 0.7% to 6,812.61, the Dow Jones Industrial Average also gained 0.7% to 47,427.12, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8% to 23,214.69.
This rally has been largely fueled by comments from Federal Reserve officials, which have solidified market expectations for a rate cut next month. Data from CME Group indicates traders are pricing in an 83% probability of a cut in December. The technology sector led the charge, with Dell Technologies soaring 5.8% on record orders for its AI servers. Other tech giants like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Broadcom also posted solid gains.
The financial sector contributed to the uplift, with Robinhood Markets jumping 10.9% after announcing plans to launch a futures and derivatives exchange. In retail, Urban Outfitters saw its shares surge 13.5% after reporting earnings that beat forecasts.
In early Thursday dealings, U.S. benchmark crude prices fell 28 cents to $58.37 per barrel, and Brent crude lost 33 cents to $61.84. The U.S. dollar slipped slightly against the Japanese yen.
