Asia Markets Open Higher After Wall Street Gains on Softer Tariff Expectations

Asia-Pacific markets opened higher on Wednesday, following Wall Street’s positive momentum amid expectations that U.S. President Donald Trump’s upcoming tariffs may be less severe than initially anticipated.

• Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.71% at the open.
• Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.63%, while the Topix advanced 0.39%.
• South Korea’s Kospi climbed 0.38%, though the small-cap Kosdaq dipped 0.28%.
• Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index (HSI) futures traded at 23,478, higher than Tuesday’s close of 23,344.25.

Wall Street Extends Gains Amid Tariff Optimism

According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, the White House’s tariffs, set for April 2, are expected to be more targeted. Trump also hinted at potential "flexibility" in his trade policies. However, U.S. consumer confidence appears to be weakening.

“As President Trump prepares to escalate the trade war next week, U.S. consumers are increasingly inflation-weary, their finances are more fragile, and they face higher risks in the labor market,” Morning Consult wrote in a note, predicting spending cutbacks across all income levels.

U.S. Market Recap: Third Consecutive Day of Gains

Overnight, U.S. stocks closed higher:

• S&P 500 edged up 0.16% to 5,776.65.
• Nasdaq Composite gained 0.46%, closing at 18,271.86.
• Dow Jones Industrial Average inched 4.18 points higher (+0.01%) to 42,587.50.

Energy Sector Outperforms in March

The energy sector has gained 3.2% month-to-date, making it the only positive sector in March.

• Top performers: EQT (+13%), Expand Energy (+11%).
• The sector was last up 0.3% on Tuesday.

Cre: CNBC

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