"Japan's Recession Sparks Market Rebound in Asia"

Japan and Singapore both missed GDP expectations, with Japan entering a technical recession as its GDP contracted for a second straight quarter, causing it to lose its spot as the world's third-largest economy to Germany. Asia-Pacific markets rebounded after Wednesday's sell-off, and Indonesian markets rallied after Prabowo's presumed electoral win. Rakuten shares spiked more than 15% after posting a smaller annual loss, while Renesas shares fell after announcing a $5.9 billion deal to buy Altium. Additionally, Australia posted sharply lower-than-expected employment growth, and Japan's fourth-quarter GDP showed a surprise contraction.