Asian shares mostly fall and US futures are little changed after US
inflation data improves
[August 14, 2026] By
ELAINE KURTENBACH
BANGKOK (AP) — Shares mostly declined Friday in Asia and U.S. futures
were little changed after U.S. inflation data showed a
better-than-expected improvement in July.
Oil prices were holding steady after slipping in recent days.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index gained 0.3% to 68,533.85, while the Kospi in
South Korea rose 1.3%, to 6,924.74.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 1% to 25,137.87. The Shanghai Composite
index was 0.5% lower at 3,908.05.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 slipped 1.1% to 9,090.90.
Taiwan's Taiex lost 0.2% and the Sensex in India fell 0.5%.
On Thursday, the S&P 500 rose 0.7% to an all-time high close of
7,798.99. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% to 53,839.99, and
the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to 26,803.03.
Wall Street relaxed after a report showed prices at the U.S. wholesale
level were 4.7% higher last month than a year earlier. While that is
more painful than anyone would like, it’s not as bad as June’s 5.5%
inflation rate at the wholesale level, and it was slightly better than
economists expected.
If inflation continues to trend that way, the Federal Reserve could
decide to hold off on hikes to interest rates. Higher rates would help
keep a lid on inflation, but they do so by intentionally slowing the
economy and making it more expensive for everyone to borrow money.
“The disinflation ducks are starting to line up, and with oil also
backing off, the market has steadily stripped away the case for another
near-term Fed hike,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a
commentary.
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A screen shows the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), SK
Hynix and Samsung Electronics Co. stock price at the foreign
exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South
Korea, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
 Any increase by the Fed would be the
first in more than three years. It also could anger U.S. President
Donald Trump, who has been lobbying for lower interest rates.
Oil prices eased, with Brent crude, the international standard,
falling 2.1%. Early Friday, Brent was nearly unchanged at $87.06 per
barrel.
It’s been swinging sharply recently, zinging between $72 and $102 in
July as hopes rose and fell that Trump could set a deal with Iran
that might allow oil tankers to freely exit the Middle East through
the Strait of Hormuz.
A summertime holiday lull has slowed trading, but worries over oil
supplies persist.
Clashes between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and government forces in
Yemen have raised fears that the country’s civil war could reignite
and open another front in the Middle East.
In other dealings early Friday, the U.S. dollar fell to 159.32
Japanese yen from 159.50 yen. The euro rose to $1.1543 from $1.1530.
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AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed.
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