Asian markets fluctuated on Wednesday as investors weighed the impact of escalating US-China tariffs. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index closed almost unchanged, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.5%. In contrast, China’s Hang Seng dropped 1.2% and South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.1%.
US President Donald Trump has imposed a 10% tariff on US companies importing goods from China. China retaliated with tariffs on some US products and an antitrust investigation into Google.
Analysts warn that trade tensions are simmering, but not yet exploding. A strong profit report from Palantir Technologies helped calm Wall Street, lifting the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average.
However, experts caution that a worst-case scenario is still possible. Trump’s threats have been taken seriously by investors, who believe the stock market reflects his performance. The US dollar slipped to 153.43 Japanese yen in currency trading.
Meanwhile, Treasury yields eased after a report indicated the US job market may be slowing down. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.51% from 4.56%.
Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-business/ap-stock-market-today-asia-shares-trade-mostly-lower-as-as-investors-weigh-impact-of-us-china-tariffs