November 19, 2025, Shanghai, China: A boat passes through downtown Shanghai along the Huangpu River. The tallest building on the skyline is the Shanghai Tower (back).
Bernd von Utrzenka | Picture Alliance | Getty Images
Asia-Pacific markets were mostly higher on Wednesday, continuing their gains even as concerns about AI and weak economic data spooked U.S. investors.
The December U.S. retail sales report showed flat consumer spending, falling short of the 0.4% month-on-month increase expected by economists surveyed by Dow Jones.
In Asia, investors are evaluating the latest data coming out of China.
The country’s consumer price index rose 0.2% year-on-year in January, according to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday. This was lower than the 0.4% increase expected by economists polled by Reuters, and suggests deflationary pressures persist in the absence of stronger stimulus.
australian S&P/ASX 200 It rose by 1.43%.
Korean Kospi The index rose 0.6%, the fastest pace of increase in three days, and the small-cap Kosdaq rose 0.55%.
hong kong Hang Seng Index The mainland CSI 300 decreased by 0.26%.
Japanese markets are closed due to holidays.
