06:44 AM EDT, 05/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were checkered on the high side Wednesday, as foreign exchange rates and earnings reports churned regional trading floors.

Hong Kong and Shanghai finished in the green, while Tokyo marginally retreated. Other regional exchanges largely finished higher, led by solid gains in Seoul and Taiwan.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened evenly, waffled and finished down 0.1% as a stronger yen undercut export issues, and automaker giants such as Honda and Nissan offered tempered guidance.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 55.13 to 38,128.13, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 142 to 81. Department-store chain Idemitsu Kosan declined 7.7%, while game-maker Nexon surged nearly 17% after reporting earnings.

In economic news, Japan's producer price index rose 4% on year in April, down from 4.3% in March, and struck the lowest rate by the gauge in 2025, reported the Bank of Japan.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher and rose to the close, finishing up 2.3% after e-commerce colossus JD.com reported a strong rise in Q1 revenue.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 532.38 to 23,640.65, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 76 to four. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 2.1% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 0.8%.

Leading the upside was China Life Insurance, gaining 6.6%, while Link REIT declined 1.3%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.9% to 3,403.95.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 1.2%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 2.1%; the Australian ASX 200 gained 0.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.3%, and the Thai Set advanced 0.2%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 0.4%.