Japan’s economy grew 0.7% in the third quarter, marking its third consecutive quarter of growth. The modest 0.1% annual growth in seasonally adjusted real gross domestic product was reported by the Cabinet Office on Monday. Global shares traded mixed as investors continued to watch economic data and policy moves from U.S. President Donald Trump.
France’s CAC 40 dipped nearly 0.1% in early trading, while Germany’s DAX added 0.4%. Britain’s FTSE 100 edged up 0.1%. U.S. markets remain closed on Monday for a holiday.
In Asia, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 showed slight fluctuations during early trading, finishing up less than 0.1%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.2%. South Korea’s Kospi surged 0.8%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell slightly by less than 0.1%, while the Shanghai Composite added 0.3%. Markets globally are cautiously observing developments as Trump’s trade policies, including recent tariff announcements, have injected a degree of uncertainty. Analysts suggest there may still be time for negotiations to mitigate a potential trade war.
In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude added 28 cents to $71.02 a barrel.
Japan’s economy sees third consecutive growth
Brent crude, the international standard, rose 34 cents to $75.08 a barrel.
The U.S. dollar declined to 151.90 Japanese yen from 152.25 yen. The euro cost $1.0472, down from $1.0495. Tencent shares climbed to their highest level since July 2021, driven by the company’s Weixin messaging app beginning beta testing of DeepSeek integration.
Shares of the Chinese tech giant last traded 4.25% higher. Thailand released its fourth-quarter GDP data, showing its economy grew 3.2% year-on-year, missing expectations of a 3.9% expansion. The country’s annual GDP growth for the year came in at 2.5%.
Shares of Thailand’s SET Index fell 1.86%, hitting their lowest level since November 2020. Central banks in the region are set to announce their rate decisions this week. The Reserve Bank of Australia has kickstarted its two-day meeting, which could see an interest rate cut on Tuesday.
Indonesia and New Zealand’s central banks are also expected to announce their rate decisions on Wednesday. Japan’s 5-year government bond yield rose to 1.034%, the highest since October 2008. Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports fell 2.1% in January from a year earlier, compared to a 9% drop in December.
