On Tuesday morning (10 February, 9:29 AM, GMT+7, Bangkok time), major indices in the Asia Pacific exhibited an upward trend, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 continuing gains, setting fresh records in the wake of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decisive win in the Lower House election.
Recent selloffs in software and technology firms—sparked by apprehension over substantial AI-related spending—have eased, prompting global equities to rebound. With tech-sector volatility stabilizing, investors are turning their focus to a series of crucial U.S. economic reports scheduled for this week.
Attention is centered on two major U.S. data releases: employment figures due Wednesday, and inflation data set for Friday. Consensus forecasts predict January payrolls will increase by 68,000, while the unemployment rate is projected to remain at 4.4%. Friday’s U.S. consumer price index release will be closely watched for further evidence that inflation is receding.
Expectations for the U.S. Federal Reserve’s upcoming meeting remain steady, with most traders betting that policymakers will keep interest rates unchanged. The central bank left its target range at 3.5% to 3.75% at its January meeting, a stance markets see as likely to continue next month.
Japan’s NIKKEI gained 2.47% to 57,756.50. South Korea’s KOSPI rose by 0.51% to 5,325.30, and Australia’s ASX 200 increased by 0.24% to 8,891.80.
As for stocks in China, Shanghai’s SSEC grew by 0.21% to 4,131.90. Shenzhen’s SZI surged by 0.26% to 14,245.22, and Hong Kong’s HSI jumped by 1.28% to 27,372.15.
The U.S. stock markets edged up on Monday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) climbed by 0.04% to 50,135.87. NASDAQ added 0.90% to 23,238.67, and S&P 500 expanded by 0.47% to 6,964.82. VIX plummeted by 2.25% to 17.36.
As for commodities, oil prices settled lower on Monday, following new guidance from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which advised U.S.-flagged ships to keep their distance from Iranian waters when navigating the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. At the close, Brent crude futures increased by 99 cents, or 1.5%, reaching $69.04 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 81 cents, or 1.3%, to $64.36 per barrel.
Nevertheless, prices declined slightly this morning as investors weighed the possible risk of supply interruptions, with a focus maintained on ongoing friction between Washington and Tehran. Brent crude futures lost 4 cents, or 0.06%, to $69.00 per barrel, and the WTI fell 6 cents, or 0.09%, to $64.30 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures dropped by 0.32% to $5,063.30 per Troy ounce.
