Market Movements Amidst Tariff Tensions

As the US administration prepares to impose a fresh round of tariffs, major markets in the Asia-Pacific region showed mixed reactions during Wednesday's trading session. Japan's Nikkei 225 experienced a slight dip, reaching its lowest point since September, while automakers in Japan and South Korea faced declines.

Regional Market Highlights

By 7:16 am CET, the Nikkei 225 had recovered slightly, growing by 0.39%. Meanwhile, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 saw a modest increase of 0.12% by the close of its session. In contrast, South Korea's Kospi decreased by 0.70% at 7:17 am CET.

Mainland China presented a mixed picture, with the Shenzhen Composite improving by 0.37% at 7:02 am CET, while the Shanghai Composite remained flat at 7:18 am CET. Hong Kong's Hang Seng also showed little movement.

Currency Fluctuations

In the currency markets, the dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen, rising by 0.21% to trade for ¥149.9090 at 7:19 am CET.