Global Markets Wrap: US Down, Europe Up, Asia Mixed as January Ends (Jan 30, 2026)

January didn’t end with one clear direction — it ended with mixed closures. On the last trading day of the month (Friday, Jan 30, 2026), markets were balancing month-end positioning, interest-rate expectations, and fresh risk headlines. 

What happened (in simple words)

When traders are unsure about rates and global policy headlines, the market usually does one thing: reduce risk first, think later.

Key Index Moves (Jan 30, 2026)

• Nifty 50 (India): Closed at 25,320.65, down 98.25 points (-0.39%). The decline was attributed to profit-taking after early-year gains, coupled with global risk aversion stemming from U.S. trade policies and domestic concerns over inflation data.

• Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI, US): Ended at 48,892.47, falling 179.09 points (-0.36%). Investors reacted to fresh tariff impositions on major trading partners like Canada, Mexico, and China, which heightened fears of trade disruptions. This followed a slight uptick the previous day amid digesting Q4 earnings and economic indicators.

• S&P 500 (SPX, US): Settled at 6,939.03, down 29.98 points (-0.43%). Tech-heavy sectors dragged the index lower as markets weighed dovish Fed signals for potential rate cuts in 2026, but volatility spiked due to tariff news and sector-specific declines in information technology.

• Nikkei 225 (Japan): Closed at 53,322.85, slipping 52.75 points (-0.10%). Mild losses came amid broader Asian caution, though the index held near record highs from January's "January effect" rally, fueled by AI enthusiasm earlier in the month.

• FTSE 100 (UKX, UK): Rose to 10,223.54, up 51.74 points (+0.51%). Gains were supported by a rebound in real estate and positive European sentiment, bucking the global downtrend as the index consolidated above 10,000 after early-2026 highs.

• DAX (Germany): Climbed to 24,538.81, gaining 229.35 points (+0.94%). Strong performance in export-oriented sectors lifted the index, aided by Eurozone optimism and a surge past 25,000 earlier in January, despite broader market jitters.

• Hang Seng (HSI, Hong Kong): Dropped sharply to 27,387.11, down 580.99 points (-2.08%). The steep fall was linked to U.S.-China trade escalations via tariffs, exacerbating pressures on Chinese equities after a volatile start to the year with initial rallies in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

• KOSPI (South Korea): Edged up to 5,224.36, adding 3.11 points (+0.06%). Minimal gains reflected resilience in tech stocks like Samsung, aligning with early-2026 record highs driven by AI and export demand, though tempered by regional trade concerns.

Analysts note that while January began with euphoria over AI advancements and record highs across many indices, the month-end pullback signals a potential short-term correction before upside resumption, influenced by Fed policy shifts and global macro trends. Traders are eyeing upcoming economic releases for clues on sustained recovery.

Why the mixed mood?

Three simple reasons:

1. Risk-off vibes in the US: investors digested interest-rate expectations and leadership headlines around the Fed. 

2. Europe stayed firm: UK/Europe ended higher even as some commodity-linked names were soft. 

3. Asia split: Hong Kong saw sharper pressure, while Japan was almost flat and Korea held up. 

Nishi’s takeaway (Prime Edition style)

When January ends, you often see “month-end cleanup”: profits booked, positions trimmed, and safer bets preferred.

So don’t panic on one red day—watch trend + catalysts + next data.

Disclaimer: This is a news explainer for education only, not investment advice.