Asian Markets See Modest Gains Amid U.S. Tariff Negotiations
Asian markets showed modest gains on Monday amid cautious trading as investors remained watchful of the ongoing negotiations concerning U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. According to a report, U.S. futures saw a decline while oil prices remained largely unchanged.
Read also: Chinese Manufacturers Establish US Production Facilities to Avoid Tariffs
Despite Beijing’s efforts to stimulate the economy, shares in China experienced a downturn due to persisting uncertainties surrounding potential talks between Washington and Beijing. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong increased slightly by 0.1% to 21,995.82, whereas the Shanghai Composite Index remained nearly stable at 3,294.02. Meanwhile, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose by 0.4% to 35,863.60, and South Korea’s Kospi inched up by 0.1% to 2,5549.19. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 saw a more significant rise of 0.8% to 8,028.20, and Taiwan’s Taiex gained 0.6%.
On Wall Street, Big Tech stocks contributed to a positive close at the end of last week, with the S&P 500 climbing 0.7% to 5,525.21, continuing a robust three-day rally. The Nasdaq composite led the market with a 1.3% increase to 17,382.94, driven by gains in tech giants such as Nvidia, which surged 4.3%. Alphabet also saw a 1.7% rise following a stronger-than-expected profit report.
However, not all tech stocks fared well, as Intel experienced a 6.7% drop despite surpassing earnings expectations. The company cited “elevated uncertainty across the industry” and provided a revenue forecast that did not meet analysts’ predictions.
Investor sentiment remains fragile as companies across various sectors express concerns over the unpredictability caused by Trump’s tariffs, which complicates financial forecasting. A recent report highlighted a decline in U.S. consumer sentiment, with expectations for future conditions dropping significantly since January.
In the commodities market, U.S. benchmark crude oil saw a slight decrease of 25 cents to $63.27 per barrel, while Brent crude fell by 24 cents to $66.04 per barrel.
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