Asian equity markets delivered a divided session on Friday, May 22, 2026, with sharp gains in Japan and Taiwan offset by a notable decline in mainland China, leaving the overall regional picture mixed as Indian markets prepared to open at 9:15 AM IST.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 was the standout performer of the session, closing at 62,977.46 — a gain of 1,293.32 points or 2.10% on the day. The index touched an intraday high of 63,014.45 before settling just below that level, having recovered from a session low of 61,842.56. The scale of the advance placed Japan firmly at the top of the regional leaderboard by percentage gain.
Taiwan’s Weighted Index also posted a strong close, rising 598.11 points or 1.45% to finish at 41,966.32, with the closing level matching the session high — a sign that buying pressure held firm through the final stretch of trade. The intraday low stood at 41,447.92.
South Korea’s Kospi ended marginally higher, adding 4.57 points or 0.06% to close at 7,820.16. The index ranged between 7,780.13 and 7,886.64 during the session, reflecting broadly flat trade with little directional conviction.
Australia’s ASX 200 gained modestly, rising 25.10 points or 0.29% to settle at 8,646.80. The index moved within a tight band between 8,621.70 and 8,672.10, suggesting measured buying rather than any pronounced momentum.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed unchanged at 25,386.52, recording a move of exactly 0.00% despite an intraday range that stretched from 25,341.73 to a high of 25,833.71 — indicating considerable within-session volatility that ultimately resolved flat.
The sharpest decline of the day came from China’s Shanghai Composite, which fell 92.26 points or 2.21% to close at 4,077.28. The index dipped to a session low of 4,074.22 before closing marginally above that level, having earlier reached as high as 4,199.53. Shanghai was the sole market to register a loss of meaningful magnitude, standing in contrast to the gains seen across the rest of the region.
Of the six markets tracked, four closed in positive territory, one was flat, and one posted a significant decline. The majority direction across Asia was therefore upward, though the divergence between Japan’s strong advance and Shanghai’s steep drop suggests the session was far from uniform. Indian equity markets, scheduled to open at 9:15 AM IST, face a broadly constructive regional backdrop tempered by the weakness in China.
Market data sourced from Yahoo Finance. Prices reflect closing/last traded values as of Friday, 22 May 2026, 7:00 AM IST. Data may be delayed by approximately 5 minutes. This article is for informational purposes only.
