Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index pared gains Friday, after the Bank of Japan kept its policy rate steady at 0.5%, in line with the forecast from a Reuters poll of economists.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 257.62 points. or 0.6%, to 45,045.81.
The decision to hold rates comes as Japan’s core inflation rate in August fell to its lowest since November 2024 at 2.7%, marking a third straight month of decline.
The core inflation figure — which strips out prices of fresh food — was in line with the 2.7% expected by economists polled by Reuters. Headline inflation in the country also dropped to 2.7%, coming down from 3.1% in July and marking a fresh low since November 2024.
Yields on Japan’s two-year government bonds rose to 0.885%, marking the highest since June 2008.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng squeezed ahead 0.25 points to 26,545.10
CHINA
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 edged up 3.81 points, or 0.1%, to 4,501.32.
Zijin Gold, a subsidiary of China’s largest gold miner Zijin Mining, was looking to raise about HK$25 billion ($3.2 billion U.S.) in a Hong Kong IPO, a company filing showed Friday.
The firm is offering almost 349 million shares at HK$71.59 apiece, with trading scheduled to start Sept. 29.
In other markets
In Korea, the Kospi erased 16.06 points, or 0.5% to 3,445.24
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index dropped 9.91 points, or 0.2%, to 4,302.71.
In Taiwan, the Taiex index dumped 190.99 points, or 0.7%, to 25,778.37
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 regained 111.62 points, or 0.9%, to 13,231.66.
In Australia, the ASX 200 restored 28.36 points, or 0.3%, to 8,773.54
