Asia-Pacific markets are mostly higher on Monday as investors await US President Donald Trump’s deadline for reciprocal tariffs, set to expire on April 2. The region’s main indices were largely boosted by gains in South Korea and Japan, despite some losses in Australia and Hong Kong.
South Korea’s Kospi index rose 0.13% after the country’s Constitutional Court struck down the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will now take over as acting president. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.14%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was up 0.10%.
China’s CSI 300 traded flat despite Premier Li Qiang warning of “rising instability” and calling for countries to open up markets and enterprises. Morgan Stanley raised its 2025 GDP forecast for China to 4.5% due to strong activity data, but noted that the impact of US President Trump’s tariffs could stifle further growth.
US stock futures were higher, indicating potential gains in equities as they rebounded from recent lows. The S&P 500 added 0.08%, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.52%.
Investors are cautious about the tariff deadline, with Barclays warning that stocks may not see significant upside until there is clarity on the tariffs front. The firm’s head of European equity strategy, Emmanuel Cau, said that tariff anxiety will likely cap upside ahead of April 2.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/24/asia-pacific-markets-live-hang-seng-index-nikkei.html