Larsen & Toubro reported a surge in revenue and earnings in the December quarter. Bajaj Finserve said net income rose at a slower pace in the latest quarter. Adani Ports said container cargo volume growth slowed to 4% from 10% in the previous quarter.
Stock market indexes lacked direction on Wall Street as attention shifted from the Federal Reserve to a slew of earnings from leading technology and industrial companies. GDP growth in the fourth quarter eased to the slowest pace in three quarters.
Ambuja Cements reported a sharp jump in revenue and earnings in its latest quarter on the sustained increase in production. Bajaj Finance reported a strong increase in revenue and earnings and a rise in net interest income in the latest quarter.
Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor reported a rise in revenue and earnings, but Hyundai Motor said profit plunged in the December quarter. Hindustan Zinc, Cipla, Arvind Limited, and Suzlon Energy reported strong quarterly results.
Japan's benchmark indexes struggled to advance a day after the Bank of Japan raised rates and signaled the possibilities of additional rate hikes in the near future.
China's top financial regulator announced additional measures to facilitate stock market investments for large investment and insurance companies. Business activities in the manufacturing and the services sectors slowed in January.
Bank of India and Au Small Finance reported a rise in revenue and earnings in the December quarter, reflecting the strength in demand for consumer and corporate loans.
The Bank of Japan lifted its policy rate by 25 basis points, revised higher its inflation outlook, and lowered its GDP growth estimate for the current fiscal year. Consumer price inflation accelerated for the second month in a row in December.
Stock market indexes in China and Hong Kong advanced after the People's Bank of China held its one-year lending rate steady. China's top financial regulator urged insurance and other investment companies to increase exposure to Chinese stocks.
Japan's exports soared to a record high, and imports accelerated at the fastest pace in three months in December. Japan's labor unions at large companies kicked off annual spring wage negotiations seeking to surpass the record wage increases in 2024.
Japan's benchmark indexes surged more than 1% following a rebound in semiconductor equipment makers and artificial intelligence-linked stocks. The Bank of Japan is scheduled to announce its rate decisions and inflation outlook on Friday.
Stock market indexes in China and Hong Kong closed down more than 1% in volatile trading following a sharp decline in Internet and artificial intelligence technology-linked stocks.
Stock market indexes in Tokyo struggled to stay above the flatline as investors debated the future rate path ahead of the Bank of Japan's rate decisions next week.
In cautious trading, investors bid up stocks in China and Hong Kong in the hopes that trade and military relations may improve with the U.S. in the weeks ahead. For now, the U.S. delayed imposing additional tariffs on China to February.
Stock market indexes in Hong Kong and China surged as investors hoped that the world's two largest economies may avoid trade confrontation in the months ahead.
