Asia markets trade mixed on Japan exports, IPO activity

December 17, 2025 (MLN): Asia markets delivered a mixed performance on Wednesday, with investor sentiment shaped by stronger-than-expected Japanese trade data, fresh initial public offerings, and lingering concerns over global growth and energy markets.

Japanese export growth provided an early boost to regional sentiment.

Data released by Japan’s finance ministry showed exports rose 6.1% year on year in November, comfortably beating market expectations of a 4.8% increase and accelerating from October’s 3.6% rise.

Despite the upbeat data, Japan’s equity benchmarks were subdued, with the Nikkei 225 trading largely flat while the broader Topix slipped around 0.25%, according to CNBC.

Elsewhere in the region, South Korean equities outperformed.

The Kospi advanced about 0.7%, while the tech-heavy Kosdaq added close to 0.2%. In Japan, shares of SBI Shinsei Bank surged more than 12% following its 322bn yen ($2.1bn) initial public offering, which was priced at 1,450 yen per share, marking one of the country’s largest listings this year.

Markets across the rest of Asia showed modest moves. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged lower by roughly 0.25%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index posted small gains, while mainland China’s CSI 300 traded slightly in the red.

Shanghai-listed stocks found some support from a blockbuster IPO, as Chinese chipmaker MetaX Integrated Circuits jumped more than 700% in its trading debut after raising nearly $600m.

The company, which develops graphics processing units for artificial intelligence applications, benefited from strong investor appetite for AI-related businesses, echoing the recent surge seen in Moore Threads.

In Hong Kong, shares of cryptocurrency exchange HashKey also made a positive debut, opening about 3% higher after the company raised approximately $207m in its IPO, highlighting continued interest in digital asset platforms despite regulatory and market volatility.

Energy markets added another layer of complexity. Oil prices moved higher after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would order a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.

West Texas Intermediate crude climbed more than 1% to around $55.96 per barrel, rebounding from the previous session when prices slid nearly 3% to their lowest level since early 2021 amid concerns over oversupply and the prospect of a peace agreement in Ukraine.

Overnight on Wall Street, U.S. equities closed mostly lower as investors reacted to the delayed release of the November jobs report and ongoing uncertainty around economic momentum.

The S&P 500 fell for a third consecutive session, ending down 0.24%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 300 points.

In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite edged higher, supported by selective gains in technology stocks.

Overall, Asia-Pacific markets showed a cautious balance between pockets of optimism driven by strong economic data and high-profile IPOs and broader concerns about global growth, geopolitics, and commodity market volatility.

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