Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Most Asian stocks fell on Thursday, mirroring steep losses on Wall Street as fears over the U.S. economy and mounting government debt rattled investor sentiment. Technology shares led the decline, tracking losses in U.S. peers amid rising Treasury yields and renewed trade tensions.
South Korea’s KOSPI dropped 1.2%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.5%, dragged by tech sell-offs. Investors trimmed exposure after U.S. yields surged, pressuring valuations in the rate-sensitive sector. Negative sentiment deepened following China’s sharp criticism of tightened U.S. chip export controls, which Beijing said violated a recent trade truce. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also slammed the restrictions as a policy failure.
Chinese tech stocks slumped, with Baidu Inc. shedding nearly 3% despite beating Q1 earnings forecasts, and Contemporary Amperex Technology losing 2% after a strong Hong Kong debut. Meanwhile, U.S. fiscal concerns worsened after Moody’s downgraded the country’s credit outlook, amplifying fears over rising debt linked to a pending tax cut bill.
Japanese markets also slid, with the Nikkei 225 down 0.9% after PMI data showed sustained weakness in manufacturing and a sharp slowdown in services. Japan’s composite PMI dipped into contraction, highlighting export struggles tied to U.S. tariffs.
Australia’s ASX 200 lost 0.5% on weak services PMI data, while Singapore’s Straits Times index also fell 0.5% despite slightly better-than-expected Q1 GDP growth. India’s Nifty 50 futures pointed to a flat open ahead of local PMI releases.
China’s CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite bucked the trend with modest gains amid hopes of further economic stimulus. Still, overall risk appetite in Asia remained subdued, weighed by global uncertainties and profit-taking in high-growth sectors.
