Asian markets trade mixed after Wall Street rally

Asian shares showed divergent moves on Thursday, November 5, after a strong US session: Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.49% and Topix gained more than 2%, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 1.39%. South Korea moved the other way, with Kospi down 2.33% and Kosdaq losing 1.24%, Mettis Global reported. The previous day’s US rally followed the midterm vote, which left Democrats in control of both congressional chambers and eased investor concerns about political uncertainty.

A drop of more than 8% in crude prices also helped support sentiment, while shares tied to AI infrastructure came under pressure amid concern about possible data-centre restrictions. Walmart advanced over 3% in Wednesday trading, whereas CoreWeave declined. Investors are now watching US weekly jobless claims and Friday’s October payroll report; earnings from Tapestry, Kimberly-Clark and ConocoPhillips were due before the opening bell, with Airbnb and Akamai scheduled later.