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Asian markets trade mostly lower in early deals on Thursday
Dec-18-2025

Asian markets traded mostly lower in early deals on Thursday, saddled by the sharp sell-off in major technology and artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. Concerns over stretched AI valuations and the profitability of large data centre investments resulted profit booking at prevailing levels. Risk aversion ahead of the release of report on US consumer price inflation later in the day, which might influence the interest rates outlook, also dulled the indices. Japan’s Nikkei slipped with the woes ahead of the Bank of Japan’s two-day policy meeting, where the central bank is widely expected quarter basis point hike to 0.75%.

Nikkei 225 down by 434.28 points or 0.88% to 49,078.00, Straits Times dipped by 9.95 points or 0.22% to 4,565.53, Hang Seng sipped by 88.78 points 0.35% to 25,380.00, KOSPI Index narrowed by 46.54 points or 1.15% to 4,009.87, and Taiwan Weighted slipped by 79.36 points or 0.29% to 27,445.81.

On the flip side, Jakarta Composite up by 0.96 points 0.01% to 8,678.31, Shanghai Composite jumped by 12.36 points or 0.32% to 3,882.64, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia higher by 1.05 points or 0.06% to 1,642.49.

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