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Asian stocks ended mixed on Thursday as a drop in U.S. producer prices fueled hopes of Federal Reserve rate cuts and helped offset rising geopolitical tensions and widespread political turmoil in South Asia. <\/p>\n
Federal Reserve policymakers look all but certain to reduce short-term borrowing costs by a modest quarter of a percentage point at their policy meeting next week, but a half-point cut might become a real possibility if U.S. core CPI data due later in the day underwhelms. <\/p>\n
Consensus estimate show that the headline CPI likely rose 2.9 percent from a year earlier in August, the fastest pace since January, while the core measure likely held at 3.1 percent.<\/p>\n
China’s Shanghai Composite index climbed 1.65 percent to 3,875.31 on renewed optimism about artificial intelligence technology<\/span>. <\/p>\n However, pharma stocks tumbled following reports that the Trump administration is considering new curbs on imports of experimental pharmaceuticals. <\/p>\n Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dipped 0.43 percent to 26,086.32 on profit taking after recent strong gains to a four-year high amid expectations for improved earnings growth and policy support from Beijing.<\/p>\n Japanese markets<\/span> rallied as tariff worries eased and data showed Japan’s wholesale inflation rose 2.7 per cent year-on-year in August, matching expectations. <\/p>\n Additionally, a government survey showed that sentiment among big Japanese firms turned positive for the first time in two quarters.<\/p>\n The Nikkei average jumped 1.22 percent to 44,372.50, hitting a new record high boosted by gains in technology shares. The broader Topix index settled 0.22 percent higher at 3,147.76.<\/p>\n Technology investor SoftBank surged nearly 10 percent after its Stargate Project partner, Oracle, gave an aggressive outlook for its cloud business<\/span>.<\/p>\n Seoul stocks surged to reach a new record high after President Lee Jae Myung said he would not pursue plans to revise a capital gains tax on stock investments.<\/p>\n The Kospi average rose 0.90 percent to 3,344.20, extending its winning streak to an eighth session led by gains in technology stocks. <\/p>\n Australian markets ended slightly lower as healthcare stocks dragged and shares of Nine Entertainment slumped almost 36 percent on going ex-dividend, following the $3 billion sale of Domain.<\/p>\n The benchmark S&P\/ASX 200 dropped 0.29 percent to 8,805 while the broader All Ordinaries index ended down 0.26 percent at 9,071.40.<\/p>\n Across the Tasman, New Zealand’s benchmark S&P\/NZX-50 index fell 0.35 percent to 13,229.15. <\/p>\n The dollar rose modestly against a basket of currencies in Asian trade and gold ticked lower while oil steadied after three days of gains amid geopolitical tensions.<\/p>\n U.S. stocks ended mixed overnight while Treasury yields touched their lowest level since April as softer-than-expected U.S. producer inflation data boosted hopes for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.<\/p>\n The S&P 500 rose 0.3 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite inched up marginally to reach new record closing highs while the Dow declined half a percent. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Market Analysis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n