SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - Asian markets ended a volatile Tuesday mostly lower, with Korea’s main index the lone outlier that managed to stay in positive territory despite surrendering most of its early jump.
Morning gains faded as lingering doubts over the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate path outweighed relief over progress toward ending the U.S. government shutdown.
South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI rose 0.81 percent to 4,106.39 after surging nearly 3 percent earlier in the day. The index briefly slipped into negative territory around 2:20 p.m. before recovering modestly.
The won weakened, with the U.S. dollar climbing to as high as 1,464.8 won amid a delayed release of the Seoul–Washington tariff-negotiation factsheet.
Retail investors took profits, offloading 282 billion won ($193 million) and curbing the early rally. Institutions and foreign investors turned net buyers, picking up 222.6 billion won and 78.3 billion won, respectively.
Market bellwethers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix led the gains. Samsung rose 2.88 percent to 103,500 won, while SK hynix added 2.15 percent to 619,000 won.
Tariff-sensitive stocks, however, were under pressure. With the tariff-agreement factsheet still on hold, Hyundai Motor — which remains subject to the 25 percent U.S. auto tariff — slipped 0.55 percent to 269,000 won.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 also reversed early gains, ending 0.14 percent lower at 50,842.93 after rising more than 0.7 percent in morning trade.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries — buoyed in prior sessions by expectations tied to the Takaiichi Sanae cabinet — extended its sharp retreat, plunging 6.11 percent to 10,685 yen ($69.29).
Sony, in contrast, jumped 5.51 percent to 4,520 yen after raising its fiscal-year 2025 earnings outlook by 8 percent to 1.43 trillion yen, citing strong image-sensor performance and the success of the blockbuster anime film Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.
China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.39 percent to 4,002.76.
Advanced-equipment makers outperformed, with Beijing Worldia Diamond Tools surging 16.04 percent to 82.58 yuan ($11.6). Consumer-exposed sectors lagged amid persistent domestic weakness; Dalian Sunasia Tourism tumbled 7.17 percent to 47.11 yuan.
Taiwan’s TAIEX mirrored the broader regional reversal, ending down 0.3 percent at 27,784.95 after an early rise of more than 0.4 percent.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index also surrendered gains, trading 0.12 percent lower at 26,618 as of 4:11 p.m.
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