Most Asian shares traded flat with a downward tilt on Friday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index dipped by 0.13% or 42.37 points to trade at 33,444.52, while the broader Topix experienced a slight uptick of 0.26% or 6.24 points, reaching 2,381.17. South Korea’s KOSPI observed a decline of 1.02% or 25.82 points, standing at 2,509.47. In Australia, the S&P ASX200 index slid by 0.52% or 36.50 points, hovering at 7,050.80.
The previous day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average achieved its highest close since January 2022. Investors celebrated a successful month for stocks, interpreting subdued inflation figures as a potential signal for the Federal Reserve to consider easing its monetary policy.
The Dow notably outperformed, fuelled partly by Salesforce’s strong earnings report, propelling it to surpass expectations. The S&P 500 ended the day with a slight gain, but both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq secured their most substantial monthly percentage increases since July 2022. November marked the Dow’s most impressive month for percentage gains since October 2022.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared by 520.47 points or 1.47%, reaching 35,950.89, while the S&P 500 rose by 17.22 points or 0.38% to 4,567.8. Conversely, the Nasdaq Composite dipped by 32.27 points or 0.23% to 14,226.22.
