On the 18th, major Asian stock markets showed mixed performance, with divergent trends across countries. While Japan and India posted gains, Chinese and Hong Kong markets closed lower.

■ Japan, Taiwan, India, and Vietnam Lead Gains Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed at 71,053.49, surging 1,151.24 points (1.65%) from the previous trading day. During the session, it rose as high as 71,398.58, demonstrating strong upward momentum.

Taiwan's stock market (TAIEX) also closed at 45,877.39, up 68.20 points (0.15%). Buying interest centered on semiconductor and technology stocks helped support the index.

Southeast Asian and emerging markets maintained relatively solid trends as well. Vietnam's VN30 index gained 10.05 points (0.51%) to close at 1,967.22, while India's BSE Sensex finished at 77,409.98, up 254.36 points (0.33%). Notably, the Indian index rose as high as 77,492.33 during the session, reflecting improving investor sentiment.

■ China and Hong Kong Markets Decline on Selling Pressure Meanwhile, mainland Chinese markets underperformed. The Shanghai Composite Index rose to 4,117.45 during the session but succumbed to selling pressure, closing down 17.59 points (0.43%) at 4,090.48.

Hong Kong's market also widened its losses. The Hang Seng Index reached 24,163.25 intraday but ended trading down 387.35 points (1.59%) at 23,924.81 as investor sentiment contracted.

■ Market Analysis and Outlook Market analysts note that U.S. monetary policy direction, global economic outlook, and technology stock investor sentiment are driving the differentiated trends across Asian markets. Indeed, while Japan and some emerging market indices showed strength, Chinese and Hong Kong markets exhibited mixed patterns, showing limited movements amid a tug-of-war between economic recovery expectations and subdued investor sentiment.

[This article was partially assisted by AI. It was written with the aid of AI based on publicly available market data and is intended for informational purposes only, not as investment advice. Investment decisions and their consequences are the sole responsibility of the investor.]