Asian stock markets are trading mostly higher on Friday, following the broadly positive cues from Wall Street overnight, as traders remain cautious in making large moves as they brace for the US Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium later today. Traders also digested a slew of earnings updates and economic data. Asian markets ended mostly higher on Thursday.
Powell is widely expected to reiterate the central bank's hawkish stance, given the expectations that inflation in the U.S. will be persistent and it will take time to contain it. That has already largely been priced into the markets.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Market Analysis
June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.