Asian Stocks Decline on Election Jitters, Economic Data; Japan Outperforms on BOJ Bets

Asian markets saw broad declines on Wednesday, as rising caution ahead of the U.S. presidential election and a series of crucial economic data releases weighed on sentiment. Japan’s Nikkei, however, continued to gain, fueled by technology stocks and expectations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will maintain an accommodative stance.

Japan’s Nikkei Outpaces Peers Amid Rate Expectations
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index led Asian markets, climbing over 1% while the broader TOPIX gained 0.8%. Technology stocks played a major role in this surge, tracking gains in U.S. tech counterparts. Political shifts, following the recent loss of a parliamentary majority by Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, added to speculation of increased fiscal support and diminished likelihood of BOJ rate hikes. The yen weakened on this outlook, benefiting export-driven stocks, as markets anticipated that the BOJ would hold rates steady at its upcoming meeting.

Chinese Markets Await Stimulus Signals Amid Sluggish Growth
Chinese markets remained subdued, with the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indexes trading in a narrow range, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng down 0.4%. Investors looked to upcoming purchasing managers index (PMI) data for signs of improvement in China’s economy. Despite Beijing’s recent stimulus measures, optimism has been cautious. Eyes are now on next week’s National People’s Congress meeting for additional fiscal support announcements.

Mixed Performance in Broader Asian Markets as Inflation Stays Elevated
Across the region, markets largely trended downward. Australia’s ASX 200 slipped 0.6% after third-quarter consumer price data indicated persistent inflation, which could prompt a hawkish stance from the Reserve Bank of Australia at next week’s policy meeting. South Korea’s KOSPI declined 0.2%, affected by an 8% plunge in AMD shares following a weaker-than-expected earnings outlook that impacted local chipmakers.

Indian markets showed signs of recovery, with Nifty 50 futures pointing to a steady open, supported by positive earnings that helped the index end a prolonged losing streak.