Global markets are trading mixed amid a surge in China led by Alibaba stock, as euphoria continued over DeepSeek's potential in the artificial intelligence sector. France's benchmark rose in early Friday trading, while the German benchmark declined. Shares were little changed in Britain. In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 closed higher after the government released consumer price data, which showed a rise of 3.2% in January from last year. The inflation rate is key in the Bank of Japan’s decision on interest rates. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 4%, boosted by a surge in shares of Alibaba. Oil prices fell.
