Asian Shares End Mostly Higher In Choppy Trade

Market Performance - Asian markets ended mostly higher, with Japan's Nikkei average rising by 0.16 percent to 58,850.27, marking a record close despite concerns in the chip sector [4] - China's Shanghai Composite index increased by 0.39 percent to 4,162.88 ahead of the upcoming Two Sessions meeting, where economic targets and policy plans are expected to be outlined [3] - Hong Kong's Hang Seng index surged by 0.95 percent to 26,630.54, driven by anticipation of upcoming earnings releases [3] - Seoul stocks fell by 1 percent to 6,244.13, influenced by a muted reaction to Nvidia's earnings [6] - Australian markets ended higher, with the S&P/ASX 200 inching up by 0.25 percent to 9,198.60, supported by gains in the mining sector [6] - New Zealand's S&P/NZX-50 index closed up 0.38 percent at 13,722.97, reversing earlier losses [7] Economic Indicators - Japan's industrial output rose by 2.2 percent in January from the previous month, marking the first expansion in three months [5] - Retail sales in Japan increased by 1.8 percent year-on-year, rebounding from a 0.9 percent decline in December [5] - U.S. data indicated a slight increase in new applications for jobless benefits last week [7] Company-Specific News - Baidu's quarterly profit dropped by 42 percent, yet the stock ended flat [3] - HSBC's annual profits for 2025 exceeded expectations, leading to a 1.6 percent increase in its stock [3] - Sony shares soared by 7.2 percent following the expansion of its share buyback program [5] - Nvidia's strong earnings and guidance did not alleviate investor concerns regarding the sustainability of the AI boom, contributing to a decline in U.S. tech stocks [8]