Asia-Pacific Markets Follow Wall Street's Downward Trend

Following a significant sell-off on Wall Street, major stock indexes across the Asia-Pacific region experienced declines on Tuesday. The downturn was largely attributed to growing concerns over a potential recession, fueled by President Donald Trump's tariff policies.

Country-Specific Market Movements

In Japan, despite a 0.6% quarterly GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, the Nikkei 225 index fell by 1.57% by 3:25 am CET. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 decreased by 0.81%, while South Korea's Kospi Composite saw a more significant drop of 1.48%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng and China's Shanghai and Shenzhen Composites also experienced losses, albeit smaller.

Currency Movements

Amid the market turmoil, the US dollar slightly weakened against the Japanese yen, trading 0.09% lower at ¥147.1465 by 3:25 am CET.