South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
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 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
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 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
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.
