Market Reactions Across Asia-Pacific

Investors in the Asia-Pacific region faced a mixed bag of reactions in the stock markets this Friday, as the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies looms large. The uncertainty was further compounded by Trump's own warning about the potential difficulties during the transition period.

Impact on Major Indexes

Japan's Nikkei 225 took a significant hit, dropping by 4.41%, while the dollar also lost ground against the yen. South Korea's Kospi and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 weren't spared either, with declines of 0.94% and 1.31% respectively. However, it wasn't all doom and gloom, as mainland China's Shanghai Composite and Shenzhen Composite saw gains, alongside Hong Kong's Hang Seng which jumped by 1.10%.

Escalating Trade Tensions

The stakes were raised higher with reports indicating that U.S. tariffs on Chinese exports could soar to a combined 145%, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing trade tensions between the two economic powerhouses.