On Friday, Kospi achieved a record high for the third consecutive day, amidst ongoing trade discussions with the U.S., defying broader declines observed across Asia. The Kospi reached an intraday peak of 3,794.87 before relinquishing its advances to hover near the neutral zone. The index concluded the trading session with a slight increase, settling at 3,748.89. Meanwhile, the small-cap Kosdaq experienced a decline of 0.68%, closing at 859.54. Other Asia-Pacific markets exhibited a downward trend, mirroring the declines observed amid escalating concerns regarding the banking sector and heightened trade tensions. Regional banks and investment bank Jefferies experienced a significant decline on Thursday in the United States, as concerns grew regarding the presence of problematic loans within the financial system.

Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. decreased by 2.36% on Friday, closing at 1,450 New Taiwan dollars per share. The semiconductor giant reported a third-quarter earnings surprise following the closure of Taiwan’s market on Thursday. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong experienced a decline of 2.48%, settling at 25,247.1, which positioned it as the worst performer in Asia, primarily influenced by a downturn in educational stocks. The decline also signifies the most substantial decrease in the HSI since April. Notably, Chinese automaker BYD experienced a decline of more than 4% following the submission of a plan to China’s State Administration for Market Regulation for its largest recall, involving approximately 115,000 vehicles due to design defects and battery-related issues.

The CSI 300 on the mainland experienced a decline of 2.26%, closing at 4,514.23, which represents the most significant decrease since April. Japan’s Nikkei 225 experienced a decline of 1.44%, closing at 47,582.15, whereas the broader Topix index saw a decrease of 1.03%, finishing at 3,170.44. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined by 0.81%, concluding at 8,995.3, thereby interrupting a three-day winning streak. Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports experienced a significant increase in September, rising 6.9% compared to the same month last year, contrary to forecasts of a 2.1% decline and reversing an 11.3% decrease observed in August. U.S. stock futures exhibited a modest decline on Thursday evening following a prior session characterized by a sell-off driven by apprehensions regarding the lending practices of regional banks.

In the latest trading session in the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a decline of 301.07 points, representing a decrease of nearly 0.7%, ultimately closing at 45,952.24. Earlier in the day, the 30-stock index recorded an increase of 170 points. The S&P 500 concluded the day down by 0.6% at 6,629.07, relinquishing a 0.6% advance reached earlier in the session. The Nasdaq Composite experienced a decline of 0.5%, concluding at 22,562.54.