Asia markets open mostly higher after S&P 500 hits record, South Korea pushes fresh highs

Asia-Pacific markets opened mostly higher on Wednesday, tracking gains on Wall Street. S&P 500 It closed at a record level.

The broad market index closed 0.41% higher at 6,978.60, supported by earnings. Apple And Microsoft.

Asian markets largely extended Tuesday’s gains, with Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index gaining 0.12%, on pace for its fourth consecutive session of gains.

Australia will release its fourth quarter inflation figures today, with headline inflation expected to come in at 3.6%, the highest level in the last six quarters.

South Korea’s Kospi and Kosdaq continued to set new records, gaining 1.27% and 1.55% respectively in early trading

But Japan’s Nikkei 225 It lost 0.79% in value, while Topix lost 0.97%.

late on Tuesday, yen It strengthened to a nearly three-month high against the dollar, hitting a low of 152.08 amid expectations of intervention swirling around the currency.

Hong Kong Hang Seng index futures settled at 27,186, above the HSI’s last close of 27,126.95.

overnight in the USA, Nasdaq Composite increased by 0.91% Dow Jones Industrial Average It broke the rankings, losing 408.99 points, or 0.83%, to settle at 49,003.4.

S&P 500 futures were near the flat line ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision and earnings reports from major technology companies.

The central bank is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate steady within a target range of 3.5% to 3.75%, but investors will be looking for clues about longer-term changes in monetary policy.

—CNBC’s Sean Conlon and Pia Singh contributed to this report.