Monday 24th March 2025: Asia-Pacific Markets cautious as U.S. Tariff Deadline Approaches

Global Markets:

•  Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.01%, Shanghai Composite down 0.29%, Hang Seng down 0.02% ASX up 0.07%
• Commodities : Gold at $3053.35 (0.60%), Silver at $33.7 (0.68%), Brent Oil at $71.35 (0.5%), WTI Oil at $68.1 (0.54%)
• Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.281, UK 10-year yield at 4.7120, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7650

News & Data:

• (CAD) Core Retail Sales m/m 0.2%  to -0.1% expected
• (CAD) Retail Sales m/m -0.6%  to -0.4% expected

Markets Update:

Asia-Pacific markets mostly traded higher on Monday as investors monitored the looming April 2 tariff deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped slightly by 0.07%. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.13%, while the small-cap Kosdaq gained 0.74% after the country’s Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Japan’s Nikkei 225 inched up 0.14%, whereas the broader Topix slipped 0.24%. In China, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.10%, while the mainland CSI 300 remained flat following Premier Li Qiang’s caution over “rising instability” and his call for open markets.

Meanwhile, U.S. stock futures pointed to further gains, suggesting a potential continuation of last week’s positive momentum. On Friday, major U.S. stock indexes rebounded after Trump hinted at possible “flexibility” regarding tariffs, though he reaffirmed the April 2 deadline for reciprocal measures. The S&P 500 edged up 0.08% to 5,667.56, breaking a four-week losing streak driven by trade tensions, recession concerns, and a selloff in tech stocks.

The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.52% to 17,784.05, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 32.03 points, or 0.08%, closing at 41,985.35. Investors remain cautious as trade policies and economic uncertainties continue to shape market movements.

Markets in Asia are reacting to global economic developments, with investors keeping a close eye on trade policies and geopolitical risks. As the tariff deadline nears, volatility could increase across global markets, affecting investor sentiment and future market trends.

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