Japan's Nikkei 225 increased in early trading after the Cabinet Office announced a 2.8% annual growth rate for the economy from October to December. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dropped by 0.6%, while South Korea's Kospi saw a gain of 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 165 points or 0.4% due to varied profit reports from major companies on Wall Street. The Federal Reserve expressed worries about elevated inflation levels and cautioned against significant rate cuts in 2025.