Asian markets slip following Trump''s announcements of big tariff hikes

Bangkok | Asian markets and US futures tumbled Thursday following US President Donald Trump's announcement of big increases in tariffs on imports of goods from around the world.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index dipped more than 3.4 per cent, but recovered slightly. It was down 2.9 per cent at 34,699.52.

Trump said he was imposing a 24 per cent “reciprocal tariff” on Japan, one of the United States' closest allies.

South Korea, also an ally, was hit with a 25 per cent tariff. Its benchmark Kospi slumped 1.9 per cent soon after the opening, to 2,459.30.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.8 per cent to 7,793.10.

The future for the S&P 500 dropped 3% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2 per cent, auguring potential losses when US markets reopen on Thursday.

On Wednesday, US stocks whipped through another dizzying day before Trump's unveiling of his “Liberation Day” tariffs.

The S&P 500 rose 0.7 per cent to 5,670.97 after careening between an earlier loss of 1.1 per cent and a later gain of 1.1 per cent. It's had a pattern this week of opening with sharp drops only to finish the day higher.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.6 per cent to 42,225.32, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.9 per cent to 17,601.05.

Elon Musk's Tesla helped knock the market around after initially falling more than 6% following a report that it delivered fewer electric vehicles in the first three months of the year than it did in last year's first quarter. It closed 5.3 per cent higher.

Tesla is one of Wall Street's most influential stocks because of its immense size, and it's faced backlash due to anger about CEO Elon Musk's leading the US government's efforts to cut spending.

On Wall Street, Newsmax fell 77.5 per cent in its third day of trading to give back some of the meteoric gains from its debut at the start of the week. It surged 735 per cent Monday and then another 179 per cent on Tuesday.

Several airlines, meanwhile, flew higher to recover some of the sharp losses taken recently on worries that tariff-weary customers will fly less. United Airlines climbed 4.6 per cent.

Financial markets around the world have broadly been shaky lately because of uncertainty about Trump's trade war. He has said he wants tariffs to make the global system more fair and to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States from other countries. But tariffs also threaten to grind down growth for the US and other economies, while worsening inflation when it may be stuck above the Federal Reserve's 2 per cent target.

After the US market closed, Trump declared a 10 per cent baseline tax on imports from all countries and higher tariff rates on dozens of nations that run trade surpluses with the United States. The president held up a chart while speaking at the White House, showing the United States would charge a 34 per cent tax on imports from China, a 20% tax on imports from the European Union, and 32 per cent on Taiwan.

Trump earlier announced 25 per cent tariffs on auto imports; levies against China, Canada and Mexico; and expanded tariffs on steel and aluminum. Trump has also put tariffs against countries that import oil from Venezuela and plans separate import taxes on pharmaceutical drugs, lumber, copper and computer chips.

Treasury yields swung in the bond market, echoing the indecision seen in the stock market.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell as low as 4.11 per cent in the morning from 4.17 per cent late Tuesday and from roughly 4.80 per cent early this year. But it later rose to 4.18 per cent. Higher yields can indicate higher expectations for the economy or for inflation.

In other dealings early Thursday, US benchmark crude plunged USD 2.08 to USD 69.63 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gave up USD 2.06 to USD 72.89 per barrel.

The dollar fell to 148.07 Japanese yen from 149.28 yen. The euro rose to USD 1.0897 from USD 1.0855.