Asia markets rise on Japan rally

January 14, 2026 (MLN): Asia markets traded mostly higher on Wednesday, led by a strong rally in Japan after  snap election reports that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may head for, as early as February, a move seen as supportive of further economic stimulus.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.61%, crossing the 54,000 level for the first time, a day after surging more than 3% to a record high.

The broader Topix rose 0.87%, also extending gains to fresh highs, CNBC reported.

Markets have reacted positively to expectations that Takaichi,  who would be facing voters for the first time   could push through looser monetary policy and a massive stimulus package.

The Japanese yen weakened past 159 per dollar, its lowest level since July 2024, when authorities last intervened to curb the currency’s decline.

Elsewhere in Asia, markets were mixed. South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.14%, while the tech-heavy Kosdaq slipped 0.49%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 0.83%, supported by consumer non-cyclical and basic materials stocks, while mainland China’s CSI 300 rose 1.11%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was flat.

In commodities, spot silver surged 3.7% to breach the $90 mark for the first time, continuing its strong run as one of the top-performing assets of 2025.

Overnight in the United States, equities closed lower as heightened volatility stemming from a series of policy proposals floated by President Donald Trump was processed.

The S&P 500 fell 0.19%, dragged down by selling in JPMorgan despite better-than-expected earnings. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.8%, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.1%.

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