Asian Markets Dip Amid Trump Tariff Concerns and Hotter Japan Inflation – Regional Stocks Retreat

Key Highlights:

• Asian stock markets continue to face selling pressure amid growing concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, particularly on autos.
• Japan’s Nikkei and TOPIX indexes fall over 2% after Tokyo CPI inflation beats expectations.
• Auto and tech sectors lead the losses across Asia, while investors await key U.S. PCE inflation data.
• China markets show relative resilience; Australia and Singapore inch higher.

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Asian Stock Markets Tumble as Tariff Jitters Intensify

Asian equities closed the week in the red on Friday, extending recent losses as Trump’s aggressive tariff agenda continued to rattle investor sentiment. The announcement of a 25% tariff on foreign-made cars and trucks, effective April 2, drove heavy losses in the auto sector across Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Adding to the pressure, tech stocks faced fresh selling due to concerns over a potential supply glut in AI data centers, especially after reports that Microsoft canceled several major data center leases.

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Japan Hit Hard by CPI Shock and Tariff Fears

Japanese markets led the regional downturn, with the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX indexes both falling over 2%. The selloff was triggered by hotter-than-expected Tokyo CPI data for March, which reinforced expectations of a rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) as early as May.

The inflation reading exceeded the BOJ’s 2% target, fueling speculation that the central bank could tighten monetary policy sooner than expected.

Japanese auto giants Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd were among the worst hit, falling nearly 5% each as investors reacted to the impending U.S. auto tariffs.

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Technology Sector Slips Across South Korea and Taiwan

The KOSPI index in South Korea declined 1.7%, as major tech stocks led the losses. Hyundai Motor dropped 4.2%, while SK Hynix, a leading memory chip maker, fell 3.5%.

In Taiwan, TSMC—the world’s largest chipmaker—lost 0.9%, and Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) dropped 3.4%, tracking regional weakness in semiconductor demand. Sentiment was dented by worries of overcapacity in the AI data center market, a key source of demand for high-end chips.

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China and Hong Kong Markets Show Relative Resilience

Despite global headwinds, Chinese markets held up better, with the CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite easing just 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong slipped 0.3% but remained on track to erase earlier weekly losses, supported by sustained optimism over AI development and stimulus efforts from Beijing.

Investors are now eyeing the Chinese March PMI data due Monday for fresh insight into the economy’s performance.

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Australia and Singapore Manage Modest Gains

Australia’s ASX 200 index edged up by 0.2%, ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) policy meeting next week. The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold amid soft economic indicators.

Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 0.1% after reaching record highs earlier this week. Futures for India’s Nifty 50 point to a flat open, with markets awaiting key domestic cues.

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Looking Ahead: U.S. PCE Inflation in Focus

Global investors now shift focus to the U.S. Core PCE Price Index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, due later today. A stronger reading could impact expectations around Fed rate cuts, potentially affecting risk sentiment and Asian equities going into next week.

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