Friday 1st August 2025: Asian Markets Mixed as Trade Deadline Looms and Tariff Uncertainty Weighs

Global Markets:

•  Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.68%, Shanghai Composite down 0.41%, Hang Seng down 0.75% ASX down 0.86%
• Commodities : Gold at $3344.35 (-0.19%), Silver at $36.18 (0.09%), Brent Oil at $71.19 (0.19%), WTI Oil at $69.38 (-0.13%)
• Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.378, UK 10-year yield at 4.567, Germany 10-year yield at 2.6930

News & Data:

• (JPY) BOJ Policy Rate 0.5%  to 0.5% expected
• (CAD) GDP m/m -0.1%  to -0.1% expected
• (USD) Unemployment Claims 218K  to 222K expected

Markets Update:

Asian stock markets traded mixed on Friday as global uncertainty loomed ahead of a critical trade deadline set by the US. With less than a day to go, fears of steep US tariffs—ranging from 10% to 41%—sparked concerns about supply chain disruptions and slowing global growth. While nations like the UK, Japan, Vietnam, and the EU have reached trade frameworks with the US, others—including India, Canada, and Mexico—are still scrambling to strike a deal.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 slid below the 8,700 mark, led by weakness in tech and energy. However, miners like BHP and Rio Tinto saw modest gains. Meanwhile, shares in 4DMedical soared 21% after a major investment by Pro Medicus.

Japan’s Nikkei also edged lower, weighed down by tech losses. Tokyo Electron plunged over 18% after cutting its profit outlook. SoftBank dropped, while Toyota and Panasonic gained. A few bright spots included Fuji Electric and Konami, both jumping over 8%.Elsewhere, South Korea tumbled 3%, while China and Hong Kong inched higher.

Wall Street had a volatile Thursday, with major indices reversing early gains to end in the red. The Dow lost 330 points, and oil prices slipped below $70 amid global demand concerns.Currency-wise, the Aussie dollar traded at $0.643, while the yen hovered near 150 per dollar.

Upcoming Events: 

• 12:30 PM GMT – USD Average Hourly Earnings m/m
• 12:30 PM GMT – USD Non-Farm Employment Change
• 12:30 PM GMT – USD Unemployment Rate

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