On Thursday, South Korea's Kospi index rose, while Asia-Pacific markets showed mixed performance. The Kospi's increase was driven by expectations of market reforms and domestic demand initiatives.
The Kospi, the benchmark index, increased by 1.49% to close at 2,812.05, having earlier reached its highest level in over 10 months. The smaller-cap Kosdaq index also saw gains, rising 0.8% to close at 756.23.
Analysts at Nomura predict the Kospi will reach 2,900 by year-end, supported by anticipated capital market reforms from South Korea's new President. Additionally, analysts expect President Lee to focus on boosting domestic demand, potentially through a second supplementary budget in July.
In contrast, Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.51%, closing at 37,554.49, and the broader Topix index decreased by 1.03%, ending at 2,756.47. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 closed flat at 8,538.9. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.85%, while the CSI 300 in mainland China increased by 0.23% to 3,877.56. India's Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex rose 0.84% and 0.77%, respectively.
The Reserve Bank of India is expected to cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 5.75% on Friday following a two-day meeting. This varied performance reflects broader concerns about trade policy and the global economic outlook.