Stocks in Asia-Pacific Were Mixed on February 3

Stocks on Asia-Pacific were mixed on February 3 amid concerns about global growth as well as geopolitical tensions.

In Australia, the ASX 200 dropped 0.14% to end its trading day at 7,078. However, shares of major miners rose on February 3. Shares of Rio Tinto jumped 2.43%. Fortescue gained 3.27% and BHP advanced 3.09%. 

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 dropped 1.06% to finish its trading day at 27,241.31. The Topix index fell 0.86% to close at 1,919.92.

South Korea’s Kospi defied the trend and gained 1.67% to close at 2,707.82. Meanwhile, the Kosdaq added 2.15% to 891.60.

Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 1.72% in late afternoon trade. 

Several markets, including those on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong, remain shut for the Lunar New Year holidays. 

U.S. stocks on February 2

U.S. stocks rose for the fourth day in a row, as Google’s parent company Alphabet propelled gains in tech thanks to robust quarterly earnings.

On February 2, the S&P 500 added 0.9% to 4,589.38. In the meantime, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 224.09 points or 0.6% to 35,629.33. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.5% to close at 14,417.55.

Shares of Alphabet jumped more than 7% more precisely 7.3% after its quarterly numbers surpassed expectations. It also announced a 20-for-1 stock split.

On February 2, Advanced Micro Devices added 5.1% on strong earnings as well as guidance. Nvidia also jumped on February 2. It gained 6.2% ahead of its quarterly earnings report after the bell. Match Group advanced 5.2% after it posted a jump in profits that surpassed analysts’ estimates. 

Facebook’s parent company Meta, which reported earnings after the closing bell, rose 1.2%. Microsoft added 1.5%.