Most Asian markets extended a global rally Wednesday as investors gave a cautious welcome to Donald Trump's first full day in office amid hopes he will take a more cautious approach on trade than initially feared.

Tokyo stocks ended lower Wednesday, as investors were cautious about prospects of the U.S. shares after recent firm economic data dented hopes for imminent interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 102.

Japan’s central bank isn’t responsible for the bloodbath. But it’s reliving a terrible habit of hiking rates at the worst possible time.

Asian stocks are mixed after Wall Street’s mostly positive performance ahead of key U.S. inflation data that could influence the pace of the Federal Reserve’s rate cuts

About 85.7% of Japanese households expect prices to rise a year from now, a quarterly central bank survey in December showed on Friday, roughly unchanged from 85.6% in the previous poll in September.

The Nikkei stock index snapped a five-day losing streak Thursday on optimism over the U.S. economy as hopes grew for further interest

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's top currency diplomat Atsushi Mimura said on Tuesday a weak yen would push up inflation by boosting import costs, stressing the need to underpin consumption by turning real wages to positive territory.

World shares are higher ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, while bitcoin surged to a record high.

THE EXPECTATION: The Bank of Japan looks set to raise interest rates this week, unless what Donald Trump says in his inauguration address as U.S. president on Monday rattles financial markets, according to people familiar with the central bank's thinking.

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates on Friday barring any market shocks when U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office, a move that would lift short-term borrowing costs to levels unseen since the 2008 global financial crisis.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda will size up the need to raise interest rates on Friday amid heightened expectations of a hike — and barring a market shock triggered by Donald Trump’s first few days in the White House.

Shares were mostly lower in Asia on Friday after China reported that its economy grew at a 5% annual pace last year, hitting the government’s target but slowing from the year before. U.S. futures edged higher and oil prices also climbed.