China’s March PMI Beats Expectations Amid Strong Stimulus Push 
Gold Hits Record High Amid Tariff Tensions and Inflation Fears 
Asian Stocks Slide as Trump Tariff Fears Grow Despite China PMI Boost 
Europe Emerges as Strategic Investment Hub Amid Defence and Infrastructure Boom 
South Korea's March Exports Rise Amid Trade War Concerns 
RBA Holds Rates at 4.1%, Signals Cautious Path Amid Inflation Risks 
White House Confirms Trump’s New Tariffs to Reshape Global Trade 
Oil Prices Dip as China Discovers Major South China Sea Oilfield 
EU Ready to Hit Back if U.S. Imposes New Trade Tariffs, Says von der Leyen 
Australia Vows to Protect Beef Exports Amid Looming U.S. Tariffs 
Gold Prices Climb on Safe-Haven Demand Amid U.S. Tariff Fears 
Mexico Cuts 2025 Growth Forecast Amid Recession Concerns 
Japan Unemployment Falls in February, Signaling Market Improvement 
Asian Stocks Rebound as Markets Brace for U.S. Tariffs and RBA Holds Rates 
Most Asian stocks fell on Friday, extending losses as investor anxiety grew over U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff plans. Japanese markets led regional declines, with the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX sinking over 2% after Tokyo’s hotter-than-expected CPI data fueled speculation of a near-term Bank of Japan rate hike.
Auto and tech stocks were hit hardest. Shares of Toyota and Honda tumbled nearly 5%, extending losses from Thursday after Trump announced 25% tariffs on autos. In South Korea, Hyundai dropped 4.2%, while chipmaker SK Hynix slid 3.5%. Taiwan’s TSMC dipped 0.9%, and Hon Hai Precision plunged 3.4%. The broader tech sector faced pressure on fears of oversupply in AI data centers, especially after Microsoft reportedly canceled several data center leases.
Wall Street’s weak performance overnight, driven by tariff concerns and ahead of more duties set for April 2, set a negative tone for Asian markets. U.S. stock index futures traded flat in Asia, with investors eyeing upcoming PCE data for inflation cues.
Elsewhere, South Korea’s KOSPI lost 1.7%, mirroring Japan’s tech-led downturn. In China, the Shanghai Composite and CSI 300 edged down 0.4% and 0.2% respectively, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.3% but remained on track to recover weekly losses. Despite Friday’s dip, Chinese stocks have outperformed in 2025 amid optimism over AI growth and Beijing’s policy support.
Australia’s ASX 200 rose 0.2% ahead of next week’s RBA meeting, where rates are expected to remain unchanged. Singapore’s Straits Times index edged up 0.1% after recent record highs. Indian Nifty 50 futures pointed to a flat open. Investors now await China’s March PMI data on Monday for further direction.
