Indonesian equities finished the week lower, with the benchmark IDX Composite Index falling 0.29% on Friday, driven by broad-based losses in the infrastructure, financials, and agriculture sectors.
Japanese equities closed higher on Friday, with the Nikkei 225 index rising 1.58% on broad-based strength led by the real estate, banking, and textile sectors. SUMCO Corp. and SoftBank Group were among the top performers.
Eurozone government bond yields held steady on Friday, pausing after a sharp two-day sell-off driven by fears that renewed U.S.-Iran military tensions could trigger a wave of energy-driven inflation.
Shares in UK recruitment firm Hays plc soared after the company guided its full-year operating profit to the top end of market expectations, citing improved productivity and better-than-forecast fee performance in a challenging market.
Shares of major Indian information technology firms climbed after sector bellwether Tata Consultancy Services reported better-than-expected quarterly results, easing investor concerns about a slowdown in demand.
Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed higher, lifted by strong performance in the gold, mining, and materials sectors. The market's volatility index also fell to a three-month low, signaling reduced investor concern.
South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix is set to begin trading on the Nasdaq following a $26.5 billion share sale, a key test for the AI-driven semiconductor rally amid recent market volatility.
Shares of the PC maker jumped after Morgan Stanley raised its rating to 'Overweight,' citing strong demand for the company's server offerings amid the artificial intelligence boom.
A Financial Times report reveals that OpenAI and Google supplied AI services to Singapore-based units of Chinese tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent, whose parent companies are on a Pentagon list of firms with alleged military ties.
