Asian markets were mostly subdued on Tuesday as investors assessed the fragile U.S.-China trade truce and growing concerns over renewed technology tensions. South Korea’s KOSPI led regional losses, retreating sharply after a record-setting rally, while investors in Australia awaited the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) latest interest rate decision.
On Wall Street, stocks ended mixed overnight, supported by gains in the tech sector following a $38 billion cloud partnership between Amazon and OpenAI. However, U.S. stock futures slipped slightly during Asian trading hours, signaling investor caution amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
Tensions resurfaced after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Nvidia’s next-generation Blackwell AI chips would be reserved for domestic use, effectively restricting exports to China. In a “60 Minutes” interview, Trump emphasized that these advanced chips would “stay in the U.S.,” highlighting the persistence of tech export curbs even after the recently agreed one-year trade truce. The move raised fresh concerns over potential supply-chain disruptions and the impact on China’s technology sector.
Following the Trump-Xi summit in South Korea, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng urged Washington to respect Beijing’s “red lines,” stressing that while the truce has “recalibrated” relations, tensions could easily reignite if issues such as Taiwan and human rights are challenged.
In regional markets, China’s CSI 300 slipped 0.5%, while the Shanghai Composite dipped 0.3%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was flat, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 was little changed after a holiday, though the TOPIX rose 0.4%. Singapore’s Straits Times Index edged down 0.2%, and India’s Nifty 50 futures also moved slightly lower.
Attention turned to the RBA, which was widely expected to keep rates unchanged at 3.60% amid sticky inflation. Investors are watching closely for signals on potential rate cuts in 2026 as global economic uncertainty lingers.


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Spain’s Industrial Output Records Steady Growth in October Amid Revised September Figures
South Korea Posts Stronger-Than-Expected 1.3% Economic Growth in Q3
Asian Currencies Edge Higher as Markets Look to Fed Rate Cut; Rupee Steadies Near Record Lows
BOJ Governor Ueda Highlights Uncertainty Over Future Interest Rate Hikes
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U.S. Futures Steady as Rate-Cut Bets Rise on Soft Labor Data
Germany’s Economic Recovery Slows as Trade Tensions and Rising Costs Weigh on Growth
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai
Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await Key U.S. Data and Expected Fed Rate Cut
Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets
Citi Sets Bullish 2026 Target for STOXX 600 as Fiscal Support and Monetary Easing Boost Outlook
Japan’s Nikkei Drops as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data
European Oil & Gas Stocks Face 2026 With Cautious Outlook Amid Valuation Pressure
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears
Dollar Weakens Ahead of Expected Federal Reserve Rate Cut
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains 



