Wednesday 26th March 2025: Asia-Pacific Markets Gain Amid Hopes of Softer U.S. Tariffs

Global Markets:

•  Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 1.23%, Shanghai Composite up 0.07%, Hang Seng up 0.21% ASX up 0.71%
• Commodities : Gold at $3048.35 (0.60%), Silver at $34.1 (0.68%), Brent Oil at $72.5 (0.5%), WTI Oil at $69.2 (0.54%)
• Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.338, UK 10-year yield at 4.7555, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7930

News & Data:

• (USD) CB Consumer Confidence 92.9  to 94.2 expected
• (USD) New Home Sales 676K  to 682K expected

Markets Update:

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 opened 0.71% higher, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.63% and the Topix added 0.39%. South Korea’s Kospi climbed 0.38%, though the small-cap Kosdaq dipped 0.28%. In Thailand, the SET Index gained 0.4% after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra survived a no-confidence vote. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index advanced 0.75%, while mainland China’s CSI 300 remained flat. The Hang Seng Tech Index, tracking Hong Kong’s 30 largest tech firms, rose 0.84% as it hovered near correction territory.

Reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg indicate that U.S. tariffs set for April 2 may be more limited in scope. Trump also hinted at potential flexibility in his reciprocal tariff plans for trading partners. However, U.S. consumer confidence appears to be weakening. Morning Consult noted that as Trump prepares to escalate trade tensions, U.S. consumers face increased inflation concerns, fragile finances, and labor market risks. As a result, spending cuts are expected across all income brackets.

U.S. stock futures showed little movement after the S&P 500 recorded a modest gain, marking its third consecutive positive session. Overnight, the S&P 500 added 0.16% to close at 5,776.65, the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.46% to 18,271.86, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 4.18 points to 42,587.50.

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The post Wednesday 26th March 2025: Asia-Pacific Markets Gain Amid Hopes of Softer U.S. Tariffs first appeared on IC Markets | Official Blog.