Market Responses to Tariff Announcements

As the Asia-Pacific markets opened on Monday, investors were keenly observing the implications of President Donald Trump's announcement regarding a 25% tariff on all aluminum and steel imports. The lack of a specific implementation date added to the uncertainty, affecting market sentiments differently across the region.

Regional Market Performance

Japan's Nikkei 225 saw a slight increase of 0.14%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged by 1.76%. In contrast, South Korea's Kospi remained flat. Mainland China's markets showed positive movements, with the Shanghai Composite and Shenzhen Composite rising by 0.45% and 0.80%, respectively. However, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 ended the day down by 0.34%.

Currency Movements

Amid these market fluctuations, the dollar strengthened against the yen, trading 0.36% higher at 7:12 am CET.