Asian Markets Mixed as Japan Reports Strong Exports, Wall Street Sets Records
• Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday after Japan reported strong export growth in December, though Tokyo shares fell nearly 1%.
• Japan's exports jumped nearly 10% in December, but economists expect export growth to slow this year.
• Hong Kong shares climbed 0.8%, helped by gains in tech giants like Alibaba, while Chinese markets were flat.
• On Wall Street, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs Tuesday as earnings season kicked into high gear.
• Analysts forecast weaker earnings per share for S&P 500 companies compared to a year earlier, which would be the fourth decline in five quarters.