India’s Nifty 50 again reverses course from losses within the earlier session
India’s benchmark Nifty 50 gained 0.41% in early commerce on Thursday, reversing course from losses within the earlier session.
The index is down 0.12% up to now this 12 months.
Nifty 50 Index
Japan PM Ishiba responds to Trump’s auto tariffs
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba mentioned that “all choices” can be placed on the desk in response to Washington’s resolution to impose a 25% tariff on car imports.
“Japan is a rustic that’s making the most important quantity of funding to america, so we surprise if it is sensible for (Washington) to use uniform tariffs to all nations,” Ishiba said in parliament.
—Lee Ying Shan, Reuters
Hong Kong shares up greater than 1%
Cling Seng Tech ETF
China’s industrial earnings drop 0.3% at begin of the 12 months as tariff dangers loom
China’s industrial earnings fell 0.3% from a 12 months in the past within the first two months of 2025, official data showed Thursday, because the economic system faces heightened international commerce tensions.
Earnings at industrial companies have declined for three consecutive years, reinforcing requires policymakers to step up help for the faltering economic system.
U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed 20% extra tariffs on Chinese language items in just a bit over two months in workplace. He introduced on Wednesday night time stateside auto tariffs of 25% on automobiles “not made within the U.S.,” beginning April 2.
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—Anniek Bao
Shares of Asia’s automakers fall as Trump declares 25% tariffs on automotive imports
Shares of Asia’s automakers fell after U.S. President Donald Trump introduced he’ll impose tariffs on automobiles not made within the nation.
Japanese automakers Toyota and Honda fell 3.69% and a couple of.91% respectively. Nissan declined 2.92%, and Mazda Motor misplaced over 6%. Mitsubishi Motor fell 4.9%.
South Korea’s Kia Motors, which has a manufacturing plant in Mexico, dipped 2.76%. Shares of Chinese language automakers Nio and Xpeng fell 3.94% and 1.97% respectively.
Learn the total story here.
—Lee Ying Shan
The route of common tariff charges is up, Barclays says
Whether or not President Trump will certainly soften his approach to tariffs as he has just lately advised is unsure, however one factor that’s clear is that common tariff charges are rising, in line with Barclays.
“We expect the route of journey is obvious: common tariff charges are rising, prone to ranges not seen since earlier than World Struggle II,” the agency’s Michael McLean wrote Wednesday.
“On the finish of 2024, the US weighted common tariff charge was 2.5%. After the tariffs that Trump has carried out up to now, the common tariff charge has elevated greater than 3 instances to over 8%,” he continued. “We assume as soon as Trump is completed, it might be as excessive as 15%.”
— Sarah Min
UBS highlights 3 causes to favor U.S. AI firms over China’s
In a current notice, UBS shared three compelling the reason why traders ought to favor U.S. synthetic intelligence companies over these of China’s.
“A lingering sense of nervousness stays amongst AI traders, primarily centered on the priority that Chinese language AI builders and their low-cost fashions threaten to usurp US opponents with increased sunk funding prices,” wrote Mark Haefele, chief funding officer of UBS World Wealth Administration. “Whereas each america and China have made important strides within the AI sector, CIO believes there are compelling causes to favor US AI firms over their Chinese language counterparts, particularly within the close to time period.”
Haefele mentioned outsized capital expenditures from U.S. companies ought to drive better aggressive benefit.
“The upper capex depth within the US, outlined as capex spending divided by revenues, stands at 20% in 2025 in comparison with China’s 11.7%. This disparity highlights the US’s dedication to sustaining a technological edge, though it could result in increased depreciation-related bills within the quick time period,” he wrote.
In the meantime, increased analysis and improvement spending from U.S. AI companies means they’re higher positioned to find “the following massive factor.” Lastly, Haefele underscored that U.S. companies have a “clear benefit” in increased monetization potential, suggesting that they’ve a greater likelihood of producing revenues and earnings.
— Lisa Kailai Han