Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down -1.01%, Shanghai Composite down -1.42%, Hang Seng down -0.88% ASX down -1.87%
- Commodities : Gold at $3,597.25 (0.14%), Silver at $41.538 (-0.13%), Brent Oil at $68.86 (-0.40%), WTI Oil at $65.35 (-0.37%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.291, UK 10-year yield at 4.8000, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7899
News & Data:
- (USD) ISM Manufacturing PMI 48.7 to 49.0 expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets traded mixed on Wednesday, mirroring weak cues from Wall Street and renewed concerns over U.S. trade policies after a Federal Appeals Court ruled President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs illegal. Traders also remain focused on the U.S. Fed, with expectations of an interest rate cut later this month.
In Australia, shares extended losses for a fourth session, with the S&P/ASX 200 dropping 1.28 percent to 8,787.00. The All Ordinaries fell 1.19 percent to 9,059.20, dragged lower by financials and tech stocks. Major banks lost 2–3 percent, while Block and Xero slumped nearly 5–6 percent. Miners were mixed, with Rio Tinto and BHP edging lower, while Northern Star advanced nearly 2 percent. GDP data offered some support, showing 0.6 percent quarterly growth, the fastest pace since 2023. The Australian dollar traded at $0.652.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.29 percent to 42,186.59, reversing Tuesday’s gains. SoftBank fell nearly 4 percent, while exporters like Sony and Panasonic rose more than 1 percent. Financials were broadly weaker, with Mizuho and Sumitomo Mitsui down about 2 percent.
Elsewhere, markets in New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore declined, while South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Indonesia posted modest gains.
On Wall Street, stocks extended their pullback. The Nasdaq lost 0.8 percent, the S&P 500 shed 0.7 percent, and the Dow fell 0.6 percent. European markets also closed lower, while crude oil prices surged over 2 percent on renewed supply concerns.
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