Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Friday, following a negative session on Wall Street overnight as investors reacted to heightened trade tensions following new tariff threats from United States President Donald Trump.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.5%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 added 0.3%. South Korea’s Kospi 200 edged 0.3% lower.
In a further escalation of trade disputes, Trump threatened to impose 200% tariffs on all alcoholic imports from the European Union in response to the bloc’s 50% tariff on whiskey.
The volatility followed a sharp decline in U.S. markets overnight. The S&P 500 dropped 1.4% to close at 5,521.52, placing it firmly in correction territory, down 10.1% from its record high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 537.4 points, or 1.3%, to 40,813.57, marking its fourth consecutive losing session. The Nasdaq Composite fell 2%, extending its recent losses.
In commodities, Brent crude declined 1.5% to US$69.88 per barrel, while spot gold surged 1.9% to a record high of $2,988.70 per ounce, reflecting investor demand for safe-haven assets.
Chinese equities weakened, with the Shanghai Composite down 0.4% to 3,358.7, while the CSI 300 declined 0.4% to 3,911.6.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipped 0.6% to 23,462.7, and India’s BSE Sensex eased 0.3% to 73,828.9.
European markets also showed a mixed trend. The FTSE 100 remained flat at 8,542.6, while the DAX fell 0.5% to 22,567.1. France’s CAC 40 declined 0.6% to 7,938.2.
