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Asian stocks ended mixed on Wednesday as softer-than-expected U.S. retail sales data and growing unease over AI prompted traders to book some profits after recent gains.<\/p>\n
China’s headline inflation readings for January 2026 underscored still-weak household demand and reinforced expectations of continued monetary support. <\/p>\n
The dollar slipped and gold traded higher above $5,060 an ounce even as comments from some Federal Reserve officials dampened hopes for interest rate cuts.<\/p>\n
Oil ticked higher as supply risks stemming from tensions in the Middle East outweighed industry data showing a big rise in stockpiles.<\/p>\n
Japanese markets<\/span> were closed for the National Founding Day. China’s Shanghai Composite index finished little changed at 4,131.98 as deflation worries lingered.<\/p>\n China’s annual consumer price inflation unexpectedly cooled from 0.8 percent in December to 0.2 percent in January, raising fresh concerns about persistent deflationary pressures in the world’s second-largest economy<\/span>.<\/p>\n The deflation in producer price inflation persisted, with prices falling 1.4 percent year-on-year in January after declining 1.9 percent in December. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index edged up by 0.31 percent to 27,266.38.<\/p>\n Seoul stocks ended higher for a third consecutive session, with automakers and financials leading the surge. The Kospi average surged 1 percent to close at 5,354.49. <\/p>\n Hyundai Motor soared 5.9 percent and its affiliate Kia Corp jumped 4.6 percent amid expectations for the robotics sector.<\/p>\n Australian markets rallied to hit a three-month high, led by banking ad gold mining stocks. The benchmark S&P\/ASX 200 surged 1.66 percent to 9,014.80, while the broader All Ordinaries index settled 1.55 percent higher at 9,281.80. <\/p>\n Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares climbed 6.8 percent after the country’s largest bank clocked record-high cash earnings in the half year to December, buoyed by growth in its flagship mortgage business<\/span>.<\/p>\n Across the Tasman, New Zealand’s benchmark S&P\/NZX-50 index finished marginally lower at 13,507.28.<\/p>\n Overnight, U.S. stocks ended mixed after two days of gains. The Dow inched up 0.1 percent, but the S&P 500 dipped 0.3 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite shed 0.6 percent as data showed U.S. retail sales unexpectedly stalled in December and household debt rose to a new record high in Q4 2025.<\/p>\n Financial services stocks tanked after tech platform Altruist introduced a new AI-powered tax planning tool for wealth advisors and clients.<\/p>\n Traders also reacted to comments from Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack that interest rates could be on an extended hold.<\/p>\n Her Dallas counterpart Lorie Logan said she believes the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate stance is set well for the risks facing the economy. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Business News<\/p>\n<\/div>\n