It was a relatively calm trading day in Asia, with most major markets closed in observance of Good Friday. As silence echoed across trading floors in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and India, Japan took center stage, quietly pushing ahead on a day when the rest of the region hit pause.
Japan moves ahead with modest gains
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose by 0.6%, brushing off the holiday lull with a mild uptick. The gain came on the back of fresh inflation data that showed headline inflation at 3.6% in March, marking three consecutive years where inflation has remained above the Bank of Japan’s 2% target.
South Korea and China see mixed action
In Seoul, the Kospi added 0.4%. However, China’s CSI 300 index was slightly lower, slipping 0.39%.
Market silence in Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore
With Good Friday being observed across multiple countries, markets in Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore remained closed. Traders in these countries will return to action next week.
India takes a breather too
India also joined the list of countries observing Good Friday. The NSE and BSE is shut today, April 18, as part of the scheduled trading holidays. All major segments from equity and derivatives to currency and commodity trading were paused, including niche platforms like Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB) and Electronic Gold Receipts (EGR).
Trading will resume on Monday, April 21
Before the break, Indian markets closed the week on a strong note. On April 17, the Sensex jumped 1,508.91 points or 1.96% to close at 78,553.20, while the Nifty ended at 23,851.65, gaining 414.45 points or 1.77%.
US Markets end on a mixed note
Meanwhile, over in the US, stock markets wrapped up a holiday-shortened week with mixed note. The S&P 500 edged up 0.13%, closing at 5,282.70, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped slightly by 0.13% to 16,286.45. However, the Dow Jones Industrial Average took a hit, falling by 1.33%, or 527 points, to close at 39,142.23 dragged down by concerns over fresh tariffs and global trade tensions.