Japanese indexes hit record highs on expectations of an early election
Istanbul, 14 January (Hibya) – Stocks in Asia-Pacific were mixed on Wednesday, as Japanese indexes reached record levels on expectations that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could likely call an early election in February.
If an election is called, Takaichi, who would face Japanese voters for the first time, is an advocate of loose monetary policy and announced a major stimulus package that is expected to be viewed positively by markets and supportive for Japan’s economy.
The Nikkei 225 rose 1.61% after gaining more than 3% on Tuesday to hit a record, crossing the 54,000 level for the first time. The Topix also continued climbing to new highs, adding 0.87%.
The Japanese yen, meanwhile, slipped past 159 per dollar to its weakest level since July 2024, when Japanese authorities intervened to halt the yen’s decline.
Other Asian markets were mixed. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.14%, while the small-cap Kosdaq fell 0.49%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.83%, led by consumer and basic materials stocks, while mainland China’s CSI 300 rose 1.11%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was unchanged.
In commodities, spot silver jumped 3.7% to break above $90 for the first time. Silver was among the best-performing commodities of 2025.
In the US, all three major indexes fell as investors have grappled in recent days with volatility triggered by a series of proposals by President Donald Trump.
The S&P 500 slipped 0.19% as investors sold JPMorgan shares despite better-than-expected numbers, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8%. The Nasdaq Composite edged down 0.1%.
Usa News Agency
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