Markets in the Asia-Pacific region exhibited a mixed performance on Friday, as U.S. stock futures remained unchanged during Thanksgiving Day, positioning the Nasdaq Composite to conclude a seven-month streak of gains. Market participants in Asia will analyze newly released economic data, including the inflation figures from Tokyo, which serve as a key indicator of the wider price trends in Japan. In October, headline inflation in Japan’s capital decreased to 2.7%, down from 2.8% in the preceding month. Core inflation, excluding fresh food prices while incorporating energy costs, registered at 2.8%, marginally exceeding the 2.7% forecasted by economists surveyed by Reuters. This exceeded the central bank’s 2% target, strengthening the argument for a near-term rate increase. Investors will closely monitor India’s GDP for the fiscal second quarter ending in September, as the day progresses. Japan’s Nikkei 225 increased by 0.17% to reach 50,253.91, whereas the broader Topix index saw a rise of 0.29%, concluding at 3,378.44. Both Japanese indexes recorded their third consecutive day of gains.

South Korea’s Kospi experienced a decline of 1.51%, closing at 3,926.59, while the small-cap Kosdaq saw an increase of 3.71%, finishing at 912.67. Enchem, a manufacturer of battery materials listed on the Kosdaq, experienced a significant increase of over 16% following reports from South Korean media indicating that it secured an order from the Chinese battery producer Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited, commonly referred to as CATL. LG Energy Solution experienced a decline of more than 6.8%, positioning it as the most significant loser on the Kospi. This downturn followed the announcement from parent company LG Chem regarding its decision to reduce its stake to approximately 70% from nearly 80%, aimed at enhancing shareholder returns. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 experienced a slight decline, concluding at 8,614.1. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong experienced a decline of 0.34%, concluding at 25,858.89. In contrast, the mainland Chinese CSI 300 saw an increase of 0.25%, finishing at 4,526.67.

Shares of property developer China Vanke experienced an increase of 1.12% in Hong Kong following a decline to an all-time low. India’s Nifty 50 exhibited little movement, while the BSE Sensex index experienced a modest increase of 0.1%. During the overnight session in the United States, all three major indexes exhibited minimal fluctuations. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by a modest 10 points. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq-100 futures hovered slightly above the neutral point. Stocks are set to conclude the month with losses when trading resumes on Friday. A decline in technology equities has impacted the principal indices in November, as uncertainty looms regarding the prospective profitability of artificial intelligence firms.

Some investors remain optimistic that the recent decline will herald a year-end rally for the major averages, as they seize the opportunity to purchase stocks that have faced excessive punishment at more appealing valuations. The U.S. markets observed a closure on Thursday in observance of Thanksgiving Day. The stock market is set to conclude its trading session early at 1 p.m. on Friday.