Asian stock markets traded mixed on Thursday, with initial optimism over the end of the United States government shutdown fading quickly. While the Nikkei and Shenzhen indices posted gains, Hong Kong's main index fell sharply and other regional markets remained subdued. Investors shifted their attention to upcoming economic data releases and the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, as concerns grew over a possible technology sector bubble and the impact of the prolonged shutdown on the real economy.
The reopening of the United States government has not immediately restored normalcy, with analysts warning of lingering effects such as backlogs and cash-flow stress. Meanwhile, technology stocks continued to struggle, prompting speculation that investors are rotating into traditional industries. Oil prices extended their decline after OPEC revised its forecast to a surplus, and the yen weakened further against the dollar, raising the possibility of intervention by Japanese authorities.




