Asian Currencies Mixed as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High 
U.S. Treasury Yields Surge as 30-Year Hits 22-Year High 
Dollar Falls as Oil Eases, Yen Jumps on Intervention Signals 
Japan Private-Sector Growth Slows as Domestic Demand Weakens 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
Gold Prices Fall as Treasury Yields Rise on Fed Rate Hike Bets 
Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High as Yen Approaches 160 
Japanese Yen Rebounds as Trump Flags Currency Weakness 
Australia Unemployment Hits Five-Year High Despite Strong Jobs Growth 
U.S. Dollar Hits Two-Month High as Oil, Treasury Yields Surge 
European Stocks Fall as Bond Yields and Geopolitical Risks Weigh 
Asian Stocks Fall as Surging Bond Yields Rattle Markets 
US Stock Futures Fall as Treasury Yields Surge Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
Oil Prices Ease as Iran Tensions Clash With Diplomacy Hopes 
Fed’s Hammack Says Bond Yield Surge Is Not Driven by Inflation Fears 
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Most Asian stock markets moved lower on Thursday, tracking a weaker overnight close on Wall Street, as investors engaged in profit-taking after recent global equity record highs. However, South Korean equities stood out, with the benchmark KOSPI surging to a fresh all-time high after strong earnings guidance from Samsung Electronics boosted confidence in the semiconductor sector.
U.S. stocks finished mostly lower overnight, reflecting cautious sentiment and profit-taking following record-setting sessions earlier in the week. During Asian trading hours, Wall Street index futures remained largely unchanged, offering little support to regional markets.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell around 1%, while the broader TOPIX index slipped 0.4%, extending losses after touching record peaks earlier this week. Investors appeared to lock in gains while assessing subdued cues from U.S. markets. Mainland Chinese equities were also muted, with the CSI 300 index declining 0.4% and the Shanghai Composite trading mostly flat. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index underperformed, sliding 1.4% amid broader regional weakness.
In contrast, South Korea’s KOSPI continued its strong upward momentum, climbing more than 1% to a record high of 4,622.32 points. The rally was fueled by renewed demand for semiconductor stocks after Samsung Electronics projected record fourth-quarter operating profit, driven by booming demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence applications. Shares of Samsung jumped sharply, while rival SK Hynix also hit record levels on optimism surrounding its high-bandwidth memory business.
Elsewhere in the region, Australia’s stock market was steady as investors digested new trade data. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that the country’s goods trade surplus narrowed to A$2.94 billion in November, below market expectations, as exports of iron ore and gold declined while imports remained firm. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 traded largely unchanged.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index was flat, while India’s Nifty 50 edged down 0.2%, reflecting cautious sentiment across Asian equity markets.
