Hong Kong stocks edged lower on Thursday morning, holding at around 24,906 and ending a three-session winning streak, driven primarily by technology and consumer stocks. Sentiment weakened after US President Trump announced a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors, sparking concerns about a protracted trade war. Investors also grew cautious ahead of China's July trade data due later today, as Trump's unpredictable tariff policies have increased pressure on the Chinese economy. The losses were offset by a modest rise in US futures, amid reports that trading partners were rushing to finalize...
US stocks plunged on Thursday as investors reacted to President Trump's latest tariff announcement. The S&P 500 tumbled 3.2%, the Nasdaq plummeted 4.1%, and the Dow Jones sank about 1,060 points. On Wednesday, Trump unveiled a baseline 10% tariff on all imports, set to take effect on April 5, with around 60 countries facing even higher levies—54% for China, 20% for the EU, and 46% for Vietnam. Both China and the EU have already pledged retaliatory measures, stoking fears of a prolonged trade war, a potential US recession, and mounting inflationary pressures. Consumer discretionary,...
The Hang Seng dipped 352 points or 1.5% to end at a one-month low of 22,850 on Thursday, pressured by broad-based sector losses. Concerns over a deepening trade dispute with the U.S. intensified, with China vowing "resolute" retaliation against bigger-than-expected Trump latest tariffs. The U.S. imposed an additional 34% levy on Chinese imports on top of a 20% tariff introduced earlier this year. Meanwhile, U.S. futures plunged sharply, fueled by fears that escalating trade tensions could complicate central banks' efforts to cut interest rates. Tech stocks led the decline, falling around...
Europe's major bourses fell on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 down more than 2%, amid a global selloff in stocks following President Trump's latest tariff announcement. The move sparked a broad flight to safety and deepened concerns about its impact on the global economy. The European Union faces tariffs of up to 20%, prompting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to warn that the move would deal a "huge blow" to the global economy. She also confirmed that the EU was preparing retaliatory measures. Losses were broad-based, with basic resources and banks among the...
Japanese stocks ended in the red on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced larger-than-expected tariffs, disrupting trade and supply chains. The Nikkei 225 fell 2.78%, or 992.53 points, to close at 34,733.34. The U.S. imposed 24% tariffs on Japanese imports as President Donald Trump unveiled a sweeping trade policy, setting a base rate of 10% and hitting key Asian partners with higher tariffs. China faces 34%, Vietnam 46% and South Korea 25%, while the EU gets 20% duties. Trump also closed a loophole that allowed low-value Chinese goods to pass through without being taxed,...
Japan's stocks plunged after President Donald Trump slapped the nation with a 24% levy as part of tariffs on trading partners worldwide. A stronger yen also dragged exporter shares lower. The Topix Index fell 4% to 2,544.41 as of 9:12 a.m. Tokyo time, while the blue-chip Nikkei declined 4.1% to 34,281.76. Contracts traded in Singapore initially spiked, then fell as details of the tariffs rolled out, suggesting the market will face volatility Thursday as investors digest the news. "Overall I think this was on the harder side of expectations," said Nick Twidale, chief analyst...