Iraq Seeks 6 Million Bpd OPEC+ Oil Quota 
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Brent Oil Tops $100 as Middle East Conflict Threatens Supply 
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China to Inject $45 Billion Into State Financial Institutions 
Asian Stocks Mixed as Korean Chipmakers Rally 
Oil Prices Rally as Brent Nears $100 on U.S.-Iran Escalation 
Iran Vows Tougher Response as U.S. Sanctions Squeeze Economy 
Japan GDP Growth Beats Forecast, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Bets 
Gold Prices Rise as Yen Rally Weakens Dollar 
Asian Stocks Mixed as AI Chip Rally Meets Oil Surge 
Canada Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Goods Take Effect 
Iran Plans New Gulf Restricted Zone as Hormuz Tensions Push Oil Higher 
US Stock Futures Mixed as Strong Jobs Data Boosts Fed Rate Hike Bets 
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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.
