Asian Stock Markets Mixed as Investors Weigh Potential US Fed Move After Jobs Data

05:46 AM EST, 12/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets closed mixed Wednesday as traders digested the latest US jobs data and mulled potential Federal Reserve policy path ahead.

On Tuesday, official US data showed that job growth in the world's largest economy rebounded in November after payrolls declined in October, while the unemployment rate shot up to the highest level in more than four years.

The Nikkei 225 closed 0.3% higher Wednesday, gaining 128.99 points to 49,512.28.

Dowa Holdings led the session's gainers with a 7.1% increase, while the biggest losers included Nissui, which fell by 5.7%.

In local news, provisional government data showed that Japan recorded a trade surplus of 322.23 billion yen ($2.07 billion) in November, as exports grew more strongly than imports.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index rose by 233.37 points, or about 0.9%, closing at 25,468.78. The Hang Seng TECH Index was up 1%.

China Life Insurance and Li Ning were the top performers, up 4.3% each.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose by 1.2%, or 45.47 points, to 3,870.28.

Meanwhile, the South Korean KOSPI was up 1.4%; Taiwan's TWSE slightly declined; the Australian ASX 200 was down 0.2%; and the Singapore Straits Times Index fell by 0.1%.

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