Most Asian stocks traded within a narrow range on Monday as investors digested reports that President Donald Trump’s upcoming tariffs will be less severe than initially feared. The anticipated selective tariff approach—targeting only countries with significant trade imbalances—has eased some risk-averse sentiment, even as uncertainty remains with the April 2 deadline.
Key Regional Highlights
U.S. Tariff Outlook:Media reports indicate that Trump will forgo industry-specific tariffs and limit reciprocal tariffs to about 15 countries, a move that has helped Wall Street futures gain sharply in Asian trade. However, many of these targeted countries are located within the region, tempering overall enthusiasm.
Japanese Markets:Japanese indices reflected weakness with the Nikkei 225 remaining flat and the TOPIX falling 0.3%. This decline followed the release of disappointing PMI data—manufacturing and services sectors both showed contraction, driven by soft overseas demand and tepid domestic spending.
Chinese Markets:In contrast, Chinese stocks reversed early losses on renewed optimism over the country’s AI capabilities. Bloomberg reported that Ant Group, backed by Jack Ma, is using Chinese-made chips to develop new, cost-effective techniques for training AI models. This development has boosted sentiment, with the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 rising 0.5% and the Shanghai Composite adding 0.2%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng managed to stabilize after earlier declines.
Broader Regional Environment:Other key Asian markets, including Australia’s ASX 200, Singapore’s Straits Times, and South Korea’s KOSPI, remained largely steady. In India, futures for the Nifty 50 hinted at a flat open following strong gains last week.
Leveraging FMP APIs for Market Insights
? Forex Daily APIMonitor daily currency fluctuations—essential for understanding the interplay between the U.S. dollar strength and Asian currency performance amid evolving trade policies.
? Technical (StdDev) APIAnalyze market volatility and momentum trends to gauge investor sentiment and the potential impact of tariff-related news on Asian equity indices.
Conclusion
Asian markets are navigating a complex environment marked by reassuring reports of less severe U.S. tariffs and mixed economic data across the region. With Japanese business activity contracting and Chinese stocks buoyed by AI innovation, investors are keeping a close eye on currency trends and market volatility. Utilizing reliable data from the Forex Daily and Technical (StdDev) APIs can help in tracking these critical indicators as the situation unfolds.
