South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Wall Street suffered its steepest two-day drop since the pandemic, as mounting global trade tensions and sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration triggered a major market selloff. The Nasdaq Composite officially entered a bear market Friday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average confirmed a correction.
Over Thursday and Friday, the Dow fell 9.3%, the S&P 500 dropped 10.5%, and the Nasdaq plunged 11.4%. The selloff wiped trillions off U.S. company valuations, with the CBOE Volatility Index hitting its highest level since April 2020.
Investor panic surged after Trump raised tariffs to their highest level in over a century, prompting concerns over a looming global recession. Global responses added fuel to the fire—China’s finance ministry announced a 34% tariff on all U.S. goods starting April 10, while leaders from the UK, Australia, and Italy discussed retaliation.
On Friday alone, the Nasdaq dropped 962.82 points (5.82%) to 15,587.79, the Dow fell 2,231.07 points (5.50%) to 38,314.86, and the S&P 500 slid 322.44 points (5.97%) to 5,074.08—its lowest close in 11 months. Weekly losses stood at 10% for the Nasdaq, 9.1% for the S&P 500, and 7.9% for the Dow.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned the tariffs could spark inflation and slow growth, possibly influencing future monetary policy. The 10-year Treasury yield dipped below 4%, adding pressure to bank stocks, with the S&P Banks index dropping 7.3%.
All 11 S&P sectors fell over 4.5%, with energy leading losses, down 8.7% as U.S. crude slid 7.3%. Tech and China-exposed stocks plunged, including Apple (-7.3%), Alibaba, and JD.com (both down over 7.7%). Chipmakers, heavily reliant on U.S.-China supply chains, dropped another 7.6%.
