Abdelrahman
Exploring the Lively Streets of Sinchon, Seoul
As night descends upon Seoul, the vibrant district of Sinchon comes to life with its dazzling neon lights, making it a captivating place to stroll. This area in South Korea’s bustling capital is known for its energetic atmosphere and dynamic culture.
Asia-Pacific Markets React Positively
On Friday, major markets in the Asia-Pacific region experienced overall gains, following a positive performance on Wall Street. This uptick is partially attributed to President Donald Trump’s recent signing of a reciprocal tariffs plan, although the implementation of these tariffs will not occur immediately.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index saw a slight decline of 0.56%, while the Topix index remained stable. Conversely, South Korea’s Kospi index rose by 0.59%, with the smaller-cap Kosdaq advancing by 1.11%. Notably, the country’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate improved to 2.9% in January, down from a three-year high of 3.7% the previous month.
In China, the CSI 300 Index saw a 0.7% increase, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index enjoyed a surge of 2.24%, building on gains from earlier in the week.
Australia and India’s Market Performance
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index recorded a 0.37% uptick, following an intra-day record in the prior session. Meanwhile, India’s Nifty 50 index opened flat, with the BSE Sensex index up by 0.29%. Market analysts are anticipating wholesale price inflation data for India, with projections expecting a rise of 2.5% in January, an increase from the 2.3% recorded in December.
Economic Developments in Southeast Asia
In Southeast Asia, Singapore reported an impressive 4.4% economic growth for 2024, marking its strongest performance since 2021. The Ministry of Trade and Industry’s data reveals a year-on-year GDP increase of 5% in the fourth quarter of 2024, surpassing the anticipated 4.7% growth.
Investors closely monitored Singapore’s Straits Times Index, which achieved a record high at the week’s start, but later experienced a slight decline of 0.12% following the GDP announcement.
Additionally, Malaysia recorded a robust GDP growth of 5.1% in 2024, with a 5% increase in the last quarter, outperforming the 4.8% estimate by Reuters.
This overview captures the essence of the dynamic economic landscape in the Asia-Pacific region. With evolving markets and positive growth indicators, there’s much to watch in the coming days.
