Asia Pacific stock markets opened cautiously on Tuesday morning, December 2, 2025. Sentiment remained weighed down by the global downturn in early December, the sharp fall in the crypto market, and concerns about rising bond yields, which have made investors more risk-averse. The benchmark Asian stock index had previously fallen around 0.3%, led by a decline in the Japanese market, after a hawkish statement from the Bank of Japan (BOJ) sparked concerns about faster policy tightening.

This morning's focus remained on Japan. The main Japanese stock index was trading around 49,500 points and remained in the correction zone, after falling more than 1% in the previous session and leading the decline in the region. The yen strengthened after BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda gave the clearest signal yet that the possibility of an interest rate hike at the December meeting was increasing. This prompted market participants to reduce exposure to high-risk stocks, particularly in sectors sensitive to interest rates and exports.

Outside of Japan, market movements tended to be mixed but relatively stable. Hong Kong's main index hovered around 26,000, having recorded a gain of nearly 1% the previous day, supported by Chinese technology stocks. In Australia, S&P/ASX 200 futures indicated a slightly higher opening, in line with limited positive sentiment in commodity and energy stocks. Asia-Pacific investors now await the release of a busy week of US economic data—including employment and inflation figures—as well as developments in expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut, which could determine market direction as the year draws to a close. (az)

Source: Newsmaker.id