Asia-Pacific markets wrapped up mostly mixed on Thursday, reflecting varied investor sentiments across the region. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dipped by 0.44% to close at 39,646.36, while the broader Topix index experienced a decline of 0.56%, finishing the day at 2,812.34. Conversely, South Korea’s Kospi rallied 1.58% to 3,183.23, and the smaller-cap Kosdaq increased by 0.93%, closing at 797.7. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell by 0.59%, ending at 8,589.2. Meanwhile, mainland China’s CSI 300 managed to gain 0.47%, closing at 4,010.02.
In a notable shift, JPMorgan has upgraded its outlook on Vietnam’s stocks to “overweight,” following the recent announcement of a trade agreement with the United States. This marks Vietnam as the first Southeast Asian country to forge a tariff agreement with the U.S., setting a rate at 20%. Analysts at JPMorgan, led by Khoi Vu, attributed this upgrade to Vietnam’s strong economic growth, noting a second-quarter GDP close to 8%. They set a new target for the VN-Index at 1,500 to 1,600 by year’s end. As of 12:45 p.m. local time Thursday, the Vietnam Index was up 0.78%, positioned at 1,442.29.
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index hit another all-time high, marking four consecutive days of gains. The index rose by 0.47%, reaching a fresh peak of 4,077.41 points.
Meanwhile, in the United States, President Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on copper imports, set to take effect on August 1. The decision followed a national security assessment. Trump emphasized the critical role of copper in defense technologies, stating on Truth Social, “Copper is necessary for Semiconductors, Aircraft, Ships, Ammunition, Data Centers, Lithium-ion Batteries, Radar Systems, Missile Defense Systems, and even, Hypersonic Weapons.” The implications of such tariffs may have far-reaching effects on supply chains and market dynamics.
In South Korea, the Bank of Korea maintained its policy rate at 2.5%, marking nearly three years at this low. The economy contracted by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in the first quarter of the year, largely impacted by sluggish construction activity and weakened export growth.
Asia-Pacific markets opened the day with mixed results, as Japan’s Nikkei 225 began lower, down 0.45%, and the Topix slumped 0.54%. However, South Korea’s Kospi and small-cap Kosdaq both began positively, rising by 0.24% and 0.44%, respectively. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 also pointed to a slightly higher start, with futures indicating an increase of 0.51%.
As for U.S. stocks, futures remained largely unchanged on Wednesday evening, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures hovering near the flatline. On a positive note, the Nasdaq Composite achieved a new all-time closing high, rising 0.94% to finish at 20,611.34. The S&P 500 followed suit, adding 0.61% to close at 6,263.26, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.49%, or 217.54 points, settling at 44,458.30.
This diverse landscape of market performances and global economic updates indicates a complex and dynamic investment climate in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Original Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/10/asia-stock-markets-today-live-updates.html
Category :
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-07-10 12:57:00
