Asian stocks ended mixed on Wednesday as softer-than-expected U.S. retail sales data and growing unease over AI prompted traders to book some profits after recent gains.
China's headline inflation readings for January 2026 underscored still-weak household demand and reinforced expectations of continued monetary support.
The dollar slipped and gold traded higher above $5,060 an ounce even as comments from some Federal Reserve officials dampened hopes for interest rate cuts.
Oil ticked higher as supply risks stemming from tensions in the Middle East outweighed industry data showing a big rise in stockpiles.
China's Shanghai Composite index finished little changed at 4,131.98 as deflation worries lingered.
China's annual consumer price inflation unexpectedly cooled from 0.8 percent in December to 0.2 percent in January, raising fresh concerns about persistent deflationary pressures in the world's second-largest economy.
The deflation in producer price inflation persisted, with prices falling 1.4 percent year-on-year in January after declining 1.9 percent in December. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged up by 0.31 percent to 27,266.38.
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