Asian defense stocks halted a two-day upward trend in the context of mixed trading across the region, as investors remained engaged in evaluating geopolitical risks following the U.S. strike on Venezuela and the resurgence of discussions surrounding Greenland. In Japan, shares of Kawasaki Heavy Industries experienced a decline of 2.11%. South Korea’s Korea Aerospace experienced a decrease of 1.62%, whereas Poongsan saw a decline of 4.5%. Hanwha Aerospace experienced a decline of 1.76%. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Tuesday that President Donald Trump and his team were evaluating “a range of options” to acquire Greenland — including “utilizing the U.S. Military.” The statement further intensifies the Trump administration’s already assertive rhetoric regarding Greenland, a territory the president has persistently aimed to incorporate into the United States.

Elsewhere, Australia’s benchmark ASX/S&P 200 rose 0.15% to conclude the trading day at 8,695.6 following domestic inflation data that fell short of expectations. The Consumer Price Index experienced a 3.4% increase year-over-year in November, falling short of Reuters’ forecast of 3.7% and below the 3.8% inflation rate recorded in October. Monthly inflation remained stable from October, indicating a potential easing of price pressures and a diminishing case for an increase in interest rates. Japan’s benchmark index experienced a decline, with the Nikkei 225 falling by 1.06% to 51,961.98, and the Topix decreasing by 0.77% to 3,511.34. South Korea’s Kospi experienced an increase of 0.57%, reaching 4,551.06, whereas the small-cap Kosdaq saw a decline of 0.9%, settling at 947.39.

Hyundai Motors of South Korea experienced a remarkable increase of 13.8%, marking the continuation of gains for the sixth consecutive session. The company disclosed on Tuesday its intention to implement humanoid robots in U.S. factories starting in 2028. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index decreased by 0.94%, whereas the mainland CSI 300 experienced a decline of 0.29%, settling at 4,776.67. U.S. crude futures declined by 1.3% to $56.39 per barrel following remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Venezuela’s intention to transfer between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. The statements came in the wake of a weekend operation during which U.S. forces apprehended former leader Nicolás Maduro.

U.S. equity futures exhibited minimal variation during the early hours of trading in Asia. In the United States overnight, equities experienced an uptick as investors seemingly chose to overlook the developments related to the Venezuela operation. The S&P 500 experienced an increase of 0.62%, achieving a historic closing value of 6,944.82. It additionally reached a new all-time high during the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 484.90 points, or 0.99%, likewise reaching an intraday all-time high and closing at a record of 49,462.08. The Nasdaq Composite experienced an increase of 0.65%, concluding the session at 23,547.17.