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On November 19, 2025, boats gracefully navigated the Huangpu River, passing by the striking skyline of downtown Shanghai. Dominating the view was the Shanghai Tower, standing tall in the background.
Image Credit: Bernd von Jutrczenka | Picture Alliance | Getty Images
Monday saw an uptick in Asia-Pacific markets as investors evaluated the Chinese central bank’s choice to maintain its loan prime rates at their current levels.
The People’s Bank of China opted to keep its 1-year and 5-year loan prime rates steady at 3% and 3.5% respectively. This decision marks the seventh consecutive meeting where rates have remained unchanged, aligning with predictions from a Reuters survey. The one-year rate impacts a majority of new and existing loans, whereas the five-year rate serves as a benchmark for mortgages.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index climbed by 0.55%, and on the mainland, the CSI 300 index rose by 0.95%, closing at 4,611.62.
Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index saw a 0.91% increase, ending the trading session at 8,699.9.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.81% to 50,402.39 while the Topix was 0.64% higher at 3,405.17. The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 0.75% —a three-decade high— last Friday.
South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.12% to 4,105.93, and the small-cap Kosdaq rose 1.52% to 929.14.
U.S. futures ticked slightly higher Monday in early Asian hours, ahead of a holiday-shortened week.
Last Friday in the U.S., stocks rose for a second winning day, boosted by Oracle, as the artificial intelligence trade regained its footing after experiencing volatility.
Oracle shares were up 6.6% after TikTok agreed to sell its U.S. operations to a new joint venture that includes the software giant and private equity investor Silver Lake.
The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.31%, closing at 23,307.62. The S&P 500 added 0.88% to close at 6,834.50. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 183.04 points, or 0.38%, and settled at 48,134.89.
