Asia-Pacific markets mixed after a rally on Wall Street on upbeat consumer data

Japan +0.46%. Japan’s government raises its fiscal 2023 economic growth forecast (cut for 2022 though).

China -0.42%. China’s budget deficit hit a record high in the first 11 months of 2022.

Hong Kong +2.22%.

Australia +0.53%. Australia and China agree to resume talks on trade and bilateral relations, according to a joint outcomes statement released by Australia.

India -0.54%.

Overnight on Wallstreet, major US indices are closing higher for the second consecutive day. The Dow, S&P and NASDAQ indices will close up about 1.5%. The Dow Industrial Average rose 526.74 points or 1.6% at 33376.49. The S&P 500 rose 56.78 points or 1.49% at 3878.39, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 162.27 points or 1.54% at 10709.38.

South Korea’s producer price index for November grew 6.3% compared to a year ago, marking the slowest growth since April 2021 and seeing fifth consecutive month of declines.

The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index jumped to 108.3 in December from 101.4 in November, topping a StreetAccount consensus estimate of 100.5. The number was also the index’s highest since April.

Oil prices rose as the U.S. is expecting what its National Weather Service described as “dangerous cold” over the next few days.

Brent crude futures rose 0.52% to $82.63 a barrel, while U.S. marker West Texas Intermediate futures traded up 0.64% at $78.79 a barrel.

Gold edged up on Thursday, helped by a softer dollar in holiday-thinned trading, but prices moved in a tight range as market participants awaited economic data for further direction.

Spot gold rose 0.2% to $1,818.40 per ounce as of 0225 GMT. U.S. gold futures were up 0.1% at $1,827.70.

Spot silver gained 0.2% to $24.00, platinum rose 0.9% to $1,007.13 and palladium was flat at $1,692.38.

U.S. futures higher. Dow Jones +0.14%; S&P 500 +0.23%; Nasdaq +0.24%.