The Nikkei 225 Index gained 0.26% to close at 38,777, while the broader Topix Index edged up 0.07% to 2,737 on Friday, reversing earlier losses. The rebound followed comments from Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, who stated that the central bank is prepared to increase government bond purchases if long-term interest rates rise sharply. Meanwhile, data showed that core inflation in Japan accelerated to 3.2% in January, up from 3% in December, exceeding forecasts of 3.1%. Headline inflation also rose to 4%, up from 3.6%, the highest level in two years. These figures reinforced expectations...
European stock markets were trading higher on Friday morning after a sell-off on Wall Street as earnings remain in focus for investors. The regional Stoxx 600 was up by 0.3%, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 and Germany's DAX were marginally higher by 0.1% at 8:10 a.m. London time. Meanwhile, France's CAC 40 was up 0.4% and Italy's MIB rose by 0.3%. European firms Kingspan Group, Air Liquide, Sika AG and others reported their fourth-quarter earnings. Standard Chartered for instance beat market expectations, and is now trading up by nearly 5%. Source: CNBC
US stocks fluctuated on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hovering near the flatline, while the Dow Jones dropped around 280 points. The health and energy sectors were among the biggest laggards. Shares of UnitedHealth plunged almost 10% after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department has launched an investigation into the company's Medicare billing practices in recent months, citing sources familiar with the matter. On the other hand, communication services outperformed. Also, AI-related stocks traded higher, including Nvidia (0.6%), boosted by strong earnings...