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Tech-heavy Asian markets led declines on Monday as weakness in U.S. equities spilled over into the region. South Korea’s KOSPI fell 1.4%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 1.2% and 0.8%, respectively, reflecting a broader de-risking in growth and high-duration sectors.

Market impact: Negative for regional tech and broader risk appetite; supportive for defensive positioning, with potential near-term tailwinds for JPY and high-quality bonds.

Investors turned risk-off in Asian trading on Monday, booking profits into year-end. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1.2%, with South Korean equities leading declines, down as much as 2.7% despite being among the world’s best-performing markets this year. The move points to thinner liquidity and higher sensitivity to positioning as portfolios rebalance.

Market impact: Near-term negative for Asian equities and cyclical FX; supportive for defensive assets (USD, JPY) and potentially a mild tailwind for bonds.

Adobe (ADBE) reported solid Q3 2025 performance with EPS of $5.50, slightly ahead of expectations of $5.40. Revenue also surpassed forecasts, coming in at $6.19 billion compared with the expected $6.11 billion.

The company’s market capitalization stands at $143.63 billion, supported by stable growth across its digital media and enterprise software segments.

Market impact: Mildly positive for ADBE; revenue and earnings beats reinforce confidence in Adobe’s subscription-driven business model.

Oracle (ORCL) reported robust Q3 2025 results, posting EPS of $2.26, sharply above expectations of $1.64. Revenue came in at $16.1 billion, slightly below the projected $16.19 billion, but overall performance was lifted by strong profitability.

The company’s market capitalization stands at $637.69 billion, reflecting continued investor confidence supported by growth in cloud services and AI-driven demand.

Market impact: Positive for ORCL; strong earnings beat reinforces momentum in Oracle’s cloud and AI expansion strategy.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) reported November revenue of NT$343.61 billion ($11B), down 6.5% from October’s NT$367.47 billion. The monthly decline reflects seasonal softness and inventory adjustments across smartphone and PC supply chains.

However, sales were 24.5% higher YoY, supported by strong demand for advanced chips used in AI, data centers, and high-performance computing.

TSMC’s Taipei-listed shares rose 1.7% to NT$1,505.0, with consolidated revenue for the first 11 months of 2025 reaching NT$3.47 trillion, up 32.8% YoY.

Market impact: Positive for TSM and semiconductor sentiment; robust annual growth underscores structural demand strength despite near-term inventory corrections.

Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.2% on Monday, adding to last week’s modest 0.5% gain. South Korean equities climbed 0.8%, extending momentum after a 4.4% surge last week following confirmation of a lower U.S. tariff on Korean exports.

Market impact: Positive for regional risk sentiment; tariff relief continues to support South Korean assets while Japan sees steady but moderate gains.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he expects to have a say in whether the proposed merger between Netflix and Warner Brothers should move forward, noting that the combined company’s market share could raise regulatory concerns. Netflix on Friday agreed to acquire Warner Bros Discovery’s TV, film studios, and streaming division for $72 billion — a deal that would give the streaming giant control of one of Hollywood’s most valuable entertainment portfolios.

Market impact: Watching for regulatory risk; potential government scrutiny could add uncertainty for media and streaming sector stocks.

Asian equities were mixed on Friday amid shifting global rate expectations and regional economic signals.

China’s CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite were largely flat, reflecting subdued sentiment despite recent policy support.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.2%, extending its cautious tone.

Elsewhere in the region:

• South Korea’s KOSPI gained 0.7%, supported by tech strength and steady foreign inflows.
• Singapore’s STI fell 0.4%, weighed down by financial and industrial names.
• India’s Nifty 50 edged up 0.2% following the RBI’s rate cut and liquidity measures.
• Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 traded mostly flat, mirroring the region’s muted risk appetite.

Market impact: Mixed; regional divergence reflects differing economic trajectories and policy expectations.

The broader MSCI Asia-Pacific index (excluding Japan) climbed 0.4% on Friday and was on track to finish the week with a 1% gain, supported by improved risk sentiment across global markets.

Most Asian markets saw modest increases, but South Korea outperformed with a 1.4% rise, driven by strong tech-sector momentum and steady foreign inflows.

Market impact: Bullish for regional equities; broad-based gains reflect improving investor appetite.

Asian markets were mixed on Friday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropping 1.05% after weaker-than-expected household spending data highlighted persistent inflation pressures.

The soft data reinforced expectations of a potential Bank of Japan rate hike later this month, pressuring equities amid concerns over tightening financial conditions.

Despite Friday’s decline, the Nikkei remained on track to finish the week largely flat.

Market impact: Bearish for Japanese equities; stronger BOJ tightening expectations weigh on sentiment.

European stock markets were poised for a muted start on Friday, with EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE futures little changed, reflecting cautious sentiment ahead of key economic data and central-bank signals.

In contrast, U.S. futures showed mild strength, with Nasdaq futures up 0.4% and S&P 500 futures rising 0.2%, supported by improving risk appetite and upbeat tech-sector momentum.

Market impact: Neutral for European equities; slightly bullish for U.S. tech and broader risk assets.

Despite a cautious tone across broader Asian markets, Japanese equities surged, sharply outperforming regional peers. The Nikkei 225 and TOPIX both jumped around 2%, driven by strong gains in technology and semiconductor stocks, which benefited from upbeat earnings momentum and improved global chip-sector sentiment.

Market impact: Bullish for Japanese equities; tech-led strength underscores renewed investor appetite despite broader market caution.