Asian Stocks Edge Higher Amid Economic Uncertainty and Weak U.S. Consumer Confidence

Asian stocks posted modest gains on Wednesday as investors searched for clear market direction,
amid declining U.S. consumer confidence and a late rebound on Wall Street.

Topic
Indexes

China

Indexes

The MSCI Asia-Pacific Index broke a three-day losing streak, supported by gains in Sydney, Tokyo, and Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, the S&P 500 rose by 0.2% on Tuesday, marking its longest winning streak in nearly seven weeks,
despite weak U.S. consumer sentiment data.

In bond markets, the yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes climbed to 4.33% during Asian trading, following a decline in the previous session.
The U.S. dollar stabilized after ending a four-day winning streak, while U.S. copper prices hit record highs.

Markets found some support from U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments on upcoming “reciprocal” tariffs set to begin on April 2.
However, concerns remain over a potential slowdown in the world’s largest economy.

China

The strong momentum in Chinese tech stocks faded as the initial excitement over the “Deep Seek” AI model subsided,
pushing a major market index into correction territory.

Morgan Stanley raised its outlook for Chinese equities through the end of 2025, citing strong Q4 earnings,
while Goldman Sachs noted ongoing bullish momentum driven by potential upcoming earnings upgrades.

On the geopolitical front, tensions eased slightly after Washington announced a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea
—though the Kremlin stated its participation depends on meeting several conditions, including the easing of sanctions.

Despite these positive developments, pressure continues to mount domestically in the U.S.,
as tariffs and inflation expectations erode consumer confidence, sparking warnings of potential stagflation.

In commodities markets, oil prices rose following a report of declining U.S. crude inventories,
while gold remained steady near record highs.

Asian Stocks Edge Higher Amid Economic Uncertainty and Weak U.S. Consumer Confidence

Asian Stocks Edge Higher Amid Economic Uncertainty

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