Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.28%, Shanghai Composite down 0.38%, Hang Seng down 0.14% ASX up 0.8%
- Commodities : Gold at $3346.35 (-0.19%), Silver at $36.68 (-0.39%), Brent Oil at $66.28 (0.29%), WTI Oil at $64.68 (0.23%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.469, UK 10-year yield at 4.6240, Germany 10-year yield at 2.5600
News & Data:
- (USD) Final Wholesale Inventories m/m 0.2% to 0.0% expected
Markets Update:
Asia-Pacific markets gained on Tuesday as investors monitored the progress of U.S.-China trade discussions, which entered their second day. On Monday, officials from both nations met in London, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. They were joined by Chinese delegates led by Vice Premier He Lifeng.
Christian Floro, a market strategist at Principal Asset Management, said the trade environment remains uncertain and warned of ongoing volatility. He encouraged investors to consider value-oriented and international equities that may have been previously overlooked. Floro also pointed to domestic sectors like utilities, real estate, and financials as potential safe havens, noting that these are typically less exposed to trade-related disruptions. Additionally, he highlighted opportunities in software and internet-based firms.
Regionally, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.92%, while the Topix added 0.43%. South Korea’s Kospi and Kosdaq increased by 0.42% and 0.77%, respectively. Mainland China’s CSI 300 edged up 0.16%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng climbed 0.33%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 also advanced 0.73%. India’s Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex began the session flat.
U.S. stock futures also moved higher during Asian hours following President Donald Trump’s upbeat comments, stating he was “only getting good reports” about the trade talks. On Wall Street, gains were modest: the S&P 500 rose 0.09%, closing at 6,005.88; the Nasdaq gained 0.31%, ending at 19,591.24; and the Dow Jones was nearly flat, dipping just 1.11 points to 42,761.76.
Upcoming Events:
- 10:00 AM GMT – USD NFIB Small Business Index
