Asian markets mixed, Tokyo up on election speculation

It came after Wall Street stocks retreated from records as markets weighed muted US inflation data, mixed bank earnings and the jump in oil prices. Tokyo was up 1.6 percent, adding to Tuesday's gains driven by expectations that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will soon call a snap election, while the yen slumped to its lowest value since July 2024. Approval ratings for Takaichi's cabinet are around 70 percent, but her ruling bloc only has a slim majority in parliament's lower house, hindering its...