Global markets saw a mostly positive trend on Friday, buoyed by strong performances from key companies and positive economic indicators. Wall Street's gains, led by Tesla, IBM, and Meta Platforms following robust profit reports, set a positive tone for world markets. European markets opened higher after the European Central Bank's decision to cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point to 2.75% on Thursday. Notably, Japan's Nikkei 225 index edged 0.2% higher, while Japan's core inflation rate exceeded the central bank's target, signaling potential interest rate hikes.
However, the South Korean Kospi fell by 0.8% as trading resumed after the holidays, with concerns over Chinese startup DeepSeek causing disruptions in the AI sector. Shares of major tech companies like SK Hynix and Samsung experienced declines. In contrast, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced by 0.5%, showcasing varied market movements across the region.
