Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
Gold Price Rises as Investors Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks and Fed Policy Outlook 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Asian Stocks Rally as Japan and South Korea Reach Record Highs on US-Iran Peace Deal 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
Asian Currencies Stabilize as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High After Fed Hawkish Signal 
France Faces Long Road to Economic Rebalancing as Weak Demand and High Rates Weigh, Says Citi 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged for 13th Straight Month as Policymakers Prioritize Credit Demand Recovery 
Most Asian stocks edged lower on Thursday due to growing uncertainty over U.S. trade policy and weak economic indicators, though Hong Kong and South Korea bucked the trend with tech-driven gains.
Investor sentiment remained cautious as Wall Street closed mixed after soft U.S. labor data and concerns over escalating tariffs under President Donald Trump. Trump is expected to hold a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, which may revive stalled trade negotiations. Meanwhile, S&P 500 futures dipped 0.1% in Asian trading.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.4% and the TOPIX shed 0.8%, dragged down by weaker-than-expected April wage growth, raising doubts about Japan’s consumption recovery. Australia’s ASX 200 also slipped 0.1% following disappointing April trade data, reflecting a sharp decline in commodity exports. Singapore’s Straits Times index remained flat, while India’s Gift Nifty 50 futures also signaled a muted open ahead of a possible 25 basis point rate cut by the Reserve Bank.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1%, lifted by gains in major tech stocks such as Alibaba, Meituan, and BYD Electronic. SMIC jumped 2.5%, tracking overnight gains in U.S. tech as falling Treasury yields and AI optimism supported global chipmakers. Taiwan’s TSMC added 0.2%, while South Korea’s SK Hynix and Samsung surged 5.4% and 3.3%, respectively.
China’s mainland indexes lagged, with both the CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite down 0.1%. Despite a better-than-expected Caixin services PMI, weak manufacturing data limited gains. Market watchers expect more stimulus from Beijing amid the ongoing U.S.-China trade rift.
South Korea’s KOSPI led regional markets, climbing 2% to an 11-month high on post-election optimism and a strong tech sector. The recent victory of President Lee Jae-myung ended months of political uncertainty, further boosting investor confidence.
