Asia-Pacific Markets Trade Mixed as Tariff Worries Dent Investor Sentiment
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday, tracking U.S. stocks futures that were lower ahead of key economic data, with escalating trade tensions denting investor sentiment.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday that he was planning to announce a blanket 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports on Monday, according to Reuters.
Over in Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 started the day lower, but reversed course to gain 0.13%, while the broader Topix index fell 0.12%.
The country reported loan growth of 3% year on year in January, falling slightly from December’s 3.1%.
South Korea’s indexes also opened lower, with the Kospi down 0.17% while the small-cap Kosdaq changed course to advance 0.36%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was trading down 0.31%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index started the day up 0.89%, while mainland China’s CSI 300 Index opened flat.
Consumer inflation in China rose for the first time since August 2024, on the back of higher spending in the lead up to the Lunar New Year, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Sunday revealed. The consumer price index rose 0.7% month on month and 0.5% annually in January — more than Reuters’ 0.4% estimate.
Source : CNBC
