Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Wednesday, after all three benchmarks in Wall Street whipsawed on uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans and fears of a recession in the world's largest economy. The White House confirmed that the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum would take effect on Canada and other nations from Wednesday state side, but added that Trump no longer plans to raise tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports to 50%. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index was up 0.25% in early trade, while the broader Topix index edged up 0.61%. South Korea's Kospi...
The Nikkei 225 Index edged up 0.1% to around 36,830, while the broader Topix Index gained 0.8% to 2,692 on Wednesday, as Japanese stocks rebounded from multi-month lows amid improving risk sentiment. However, investor concerns lingered over US President Donald Trump's tariff policies and recession risks in the world's largest economy. Domestically, data revealed that sentiment among large manufacturing firms turned negative in the first quarter, highlighting ongoing economic challenges. In corporate news, Nissan Motor climbed 0.8% after announcing that CEO Makoto Uchida will step down on...
Shares in Hong Kong added 33 points or 0.1% to 23,813 in a volatile trading session on Wednesday morning after a muted close the day before. A modest rise in US futures supported sentiment after a weak day on Wall Street overnight ahead of CPI prints later today. Traders also digested reports that Ukraine had agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia during talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia. In China, the annual parliamentary gathering concluded Tuesday, approving the central budget for 2025 and adopting a resolution on the 2024 work. Further gains were tempered, however, by...