Asian stock markets traded mixed on Wednesday as fading hopes for a quick U.S.-Iran resolution and caution ahead of crucial U.S. inflation data weighed on sentiment. South Korea’s KOSPI surged 3.56%, outperforming the region after reports that Temasek Holdings plans to acquire stakes in chipmakers SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.76% to above 67,000, supported by the Reuters Tankan index for manufacturers jumping to +18 in August, its highest since March. China’s Shanghai Composite added 0.21% to around 3,935, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.20% to 25,390. India’s Sensex declined 0.36% to 77,957, and Australia’s ASX 200 slipped 0.50% to 9,207.
