The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.6% to trade above 60,800 on Wednesday, marking its third consecutive session of gains as strong results from neocloud company CoreWeave eased concerns surrounding the artificial intelligence sector. Optimism towards AI stocks was further supported by reports that Anthropic could begin trading as early as next week, targeting a fundraising of up to $90 billion at a diluted valuation of approximately $1.4 trillion. Japanese equities also outperformed a weaker overnight session on Wall Street, where Nvidia’s losses and hotter-than-expected US inflation data pressured broader markets. Among the notable gainers were technology and AI-related stocks, with Advantest rising 0.7%, Taiyo Yuden climbing 3.6%, and Tokyo Electron advancing 1.1%. Meanwhile, shares of SoftBank Group fell 4% after posting its first net loss in nearly two years, driven by a $3.7 billion impairment charge on its US data-center projects and declining valuations across the AI sector.

The value of new owner-occupier loan commitments for dwellings in Australia fell 5.3% quarter-on-quarter to AUD 56.45 billion in Q3 2026, the lowest in five quarters, deepening from a marginally revised 2.0% decline in the previous period. First-home buyer demand dropped further (-8.0% vs -5.4% in Q2), as did lending to non-first-home buyers (-3.5% vs -2.7%). On an annual basis, owner-occupier lending dipped 4.6%. Meanwhile, investment lending for housing tumbled 32.3% to AUD 24.71 billion, its lowest level in three years, much steeper than a 11.2% decline in Q2. On a yearly basis, investment loan values plunged 38.1%.

Crude oil traded near $86 per barrel on Wednesday, hovering close to eleven-week lows on signs of easing tensions between the US and Iran. President Donald Trump suggested that additional military strikes against Iran may no longer be necessary, fueling optimism for a possible diplomatic settlement. Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats are considering leveraging the upcoming government funding deadline to push the Trump administration toward ending the conflict. However, uncertainty persists as Iran demands relief from US sanctions and the naval blockade before agreeing to peace talks. At the same time, Middle Eastern oil shipments have nearly returned to prewar levels despite ongoing attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The US oil benchmark has fallen almost 20% from its late-October peak, reversing much of its recent gains as hopes for de-escalation strengthened and regional oil exports continued to recover.

South Korea’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 2.5% in October 2026 from 2.6% in the previous month, reaching its lowest level since September 2024. The economy added 139,000 jobs, exceeding the 100,000 mark for the fourth consecutive month and bringing total employment to 29.18 million. Healthcare and social welfare led job creation, adding 249,000 workers, followed by transportation and storage (+48,000) and business facilities management and support services (+37,000). In contrast, accommodation and food services employment fell by 137,000, while agriculture, forestry and fishing (-101,000) and construction (-42,000) also recorded declines. Manufacturing employment slipped by 7,000, reversing the previous month's increase. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed people declined by 56,000 year-on-year to 602,000, while the economically inactive population increased by 179,000 to 16.30 million. Youth employment for those aged 15 to 29 fell by 1.7 percentage points to 42.9%.

The Reuters Tankan index for Japanese manufacturers rose for the fourth consecutive month to +27 in November 2026, from +22 in the previous month, marking its highest reading since August 2021, supported by continued strength in semiconductor and data center demand. Electronics surged to +39 from +25, with precision machinery, including chip equipment, leading the gains by climbing to +42 from +38, boosted by strong demand from both domestic and overseas markets. Other sectors also reported gains, with chemicals rising to +33 from +27, while oil refining and ceramics advanced to +25 from +14. Meanwhile, non-manufacturers’ sentiment increased to +35, the highest since June 2018, from +23, which was the lowest reading since November 2024, reflecting a sharp rebound in confidence in the service and domestic sectors. Looking three months ahead, manufacturers expect sentiment to improve to +28, while non-manufacturers expect sentiment to weaken to +29.

US consumer inflation moderated in October, with the CPI rising 0.4% month on month, after a 0.6% increase in September, and above forecasts of 0.3%. Meanwhile, core inflation rose 0.3%, matching the pace recorded in August and September, but above expectations of 0.2%. Shelter costs climbed 0.3%, accounting for more than 30% of the overall increase. Food prices increased 0.5%, driven by higher grocery costs, particularly snacks, meat, fruit and vegetables, and dairy products. Prices for meals away from home advanced 0.5%. Energy prices rose 0.7%, slowing sharply from September’s 5.2% increase, as a 1% rise in gasoline and a 0.9% gain in electricity costs were partly offset by lower natural gas prices. Recreation, medical care and motor vehicle insurance also became more expensive, while used cars and communication costs declined. The BLS said it could not calculate annual inflation rates for October because data for 2025 were unavailable due to a government funding lapse.