Traders Await Fresh Catalysts; Asian Stock Markets Churn

05:47 AM EST, 11/28/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets churned on Friday, as traders looked for fresh cues from New York trading floors and awaited the next rate moves slated for December by the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.

Shanghai and Tokyo finished modestly in the green, while Shanghai edged lower. Other exchanges were similarly mixed.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower but rose to the close, finishing up 0.2% as traders anticipated monetary easing next month by the US central bank.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 86.81 to 50,253.91, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 143 to 80.

Leading the upside was machine-tool maker Okuma, up 6.7%, while mining enterprise Mitsui Kinzoku declined 2.1%.

In economic news, Japan's retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 1.6% on year in October, reported the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

Separately, the nation's industrial output rose a seasonally adjusted 1.4% on month in October from September, and rose 1.5% on year, added METI.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and could not recover, closing down 0.3% as traders awaited fresh catalysts after a month of gyrations on central bank and AI-sector outlooks.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 87.04 to 25,858.89, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 59 to 24. The Hang Seng TECH Index was flat on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 1.3%.

Leading the upside was toymaker Pop Mart International, gaining 2.8%, while Wuxi AppTec declined 3.8%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.3% to 3,888.60.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI fell 1.5%; the Taiwan TWSE gained 0.3%; the Australian ASX 200 was flat; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.3%, and the Thai Set added 0.3%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was steady.

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