Europe Asia News

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 0.56 percent and the mainland CSI 300 Index dropped 0.78 percent after China’s consumer prices rose 0.7 percent year on year, reaching their highest level since February last year.

This increase in Chinese consumer prices followed a 0.2 percent rise in October and matched economists’ survey expectations for a 0.7 percent gain.

China’s factory-gate prices (PPI) fell 2.2 percent in November from a year earlier, missing forecasts for a 2 percent drop and extending the deflationary period into its fourth year. In October, prices had declined 2.1 percent.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index traded roughly flat. Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index slipped 0.22 percent, while the Topix Index was little changed. South Korea’s Kospi Index lost 0.12 percent, whereas the small-cap Kosdaq Index added 0.2 percent.

Investors are awaiting the closely watched interest-rate announcement by the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday. Markets expect the Fed to cut its benchmark overnight rate by a further 0.25 percentage points, in line with the reductions made in September and October.

In the United States, the S&P 500 finished little changed. The broad market index moved sideways and closed down just 0.09 percent at 6,840.51, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.13 percent to end the day at 23,576.49.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 179.03 points, or 0.38 percent, to 47,560.29. The 30-stock index turned lower as JPMorgan shares declined after the bank’s 2026 expense forecast came in higher than expected.