Shares of Hanwha Aerospace jumped as much as 11% on Friday, leading gains in defence stocks across Asia as investors tracked heightened geopolitical tensions and shifting global security dynamics.
In South Korea, defence-related equities posted broad-based advances. Poongsan rose more than 6%, while Korea Aerospace Industries gained around 5%, reflecting renewed investor interest in military and aerospace manufacturers.
Defence stocks in Japan also moved higher. Shares of Kawasaki Heavy Industries climbed 2.29%, while IHI added 2.14%, tracking regional momentum in the sector.
Asian equity markets were mixed overall.
In China, the CSI 300 index edged 0.1% higher after official data showed consumer inflation accelerated in December, while producer prices remained in deflation. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was little changed.
Japanese markets outperformed, with the Nikkei 225 rising 1.24% and the broader Topix index gaining 0.62%. Shares of Fast Retailing surged more than 7% after the Uniqlo operator reported a sharp rise in quarterly operating profit and raised its full-year outlook, citing strong global sales.
South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index added 0.67%, while the tech-heavy Kosdaq closed flat.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 slipped marginally. Mining stocks weighed on the index after Rio Tinto shares fell more than 5% following confirmation of early-stage merger discussions with Glencore, a deal that would create one of the world’s largest mining groups if completed.
U.S. equity futures were little changed during Asian trading hours as investors awaited key U.S. jobs data and a potential Supreme Court ruling related to trade tariffs.
Overnight in the United States, markets closed mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.55%, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.44% as investors rotated away from technology stocks. The S&P 500 ended marginally higher.
