Asian markets delivered a sharply mixed session on September 23, 2026, with strength concentrated in South Korea and Japan while India, mainland China and Australia posted notable declines. The session marked a renewed divergence across regional benchmarks, with four of eight reported indicators finishing lower and currency weakness adding to pressure in the Australian and Japanese markets.

South Korea and Japan Extend Gains

The KOSPI Composite Index rose 0.90% to 7,080.92, extending its recent recovery and keeping the benchmark above the important 7,000 level. The advance followed the index’s recent move back above that threshold and reinforces the current strength in South Korean equities.

The Nikkei 225 gained 0.76% to 65,513.99, moving further above 65,000. The benchmark has continued to recover after trading near 63,000 earlier in September, although the Japanese Yen Index remained weak.

The yen index fell 0.59% to 63.16, extending its decline and remaining below 64.00. The divergence between stronger Japanese equities and a weaker currency remains a notable feature of the regional market.

India Leads the Equity Declines

The S&P BSE SENSEX was the weakest reported equity benchmark, falling 1.67% to 73,580.54. The decline pushed the index further below 75,000 and reversed a portion of its recent recovery.

The latest loss also represented a significant increase in selling pressure compared with the previous session’s gains. The benchmark’s move toward 73,500 leaves the 73,000–74,000 region as an important area to watch for stabilization.

China Slides Further Below 3,900

The SSE Composite Index fell 1.22% to 3,888.37, moving below the 3,900 level after trading near 3,950 earlier in the week. The decline also took the benchmark farther away from the 4,000 threshold that had been a key recovery target.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was more resilient but still declined 0.29% to 24,761.13. The index remained below 25,000, extending its recent weakness while avoiding the sharper losses recorded in mainland China.

Australia Faces Currency and Equity Pressure

The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.72% to 8,702.00, moving closer to the 8,700 level after a modest decline in the previous session.

The Australian Dollar Index dropped 0.99% to 70.46, marking the sharpest currency decline among the reported indicators. The Australian dollar remained below 71.00, adding to the pressure visible across the country’s financial markets.

Outlook

The September 23 session leaves Asian markets at increasingly important technical levels. The KOSPI remains above 7,000 and the Nikkei above 65,000, while the Sensex has moved toward 73,500 and the SSE Composite has fallen below 3,900. The ASX 200 is approaching 8,700, the Hang Seng remains below 25,000 and both the yen and Australian dollar remain under pressure. Investors will be watching whether the stronger markets can maintain their advances while the weaker benchmarks establish support following the latest declines.