Markets rise across Asia as U.S.-China talks gain traction
Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed above 50,000 for the first time on Monday, finishing the session at 50,512.32 with a 2.46% gain. The Topix index also posted solid gains, rising 1.7% to end at 3,325.05. Investors welcomed encouraging signals from ongoing U.S.-China trade negotiations and drew confidence from record-setting momentum on Wall Street.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump later this week during his official visit to Japan. Analysts at Crédit Agricole CIB suggested the meeting could center on stimulating domestic demand, potentially boosting Japan’s economy out of long-standing stagnation and easing trade imbalances with the U.S.
Asian equities see broad-based gains
South Korea’s Kospi surged 2.57% to close at 4,042.83, its first finish above 4,000, while the Kosdaq rose 2.22% to 902.7. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index advanced 1.05% to 26,433.7, and mainland China’s CSI 300 climbed 0.83%.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.41% to close at 9,055.6. Meanwhile, India’s Nifty 50 rose 0.66% to 25,966.05. Markets across the region were buoyed by optimism after reports surfaced that top U.S. and Chinese negotiators had reached preliminary agreements on key trade disputes.
Trade tensions ease after key developments
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CBS News that the proposed 100% tariffs on Chinese goods are “effectively off the table.” China is expected to increase soybean purchases and postpone restrictions on rare earth exports, though current U.S. export controls will remain in place.
The update from trade officials comes as markets continue to digest recent inflation data from the U.S., which has lowered expectations for future price pressures. This trend has fueled hopes for further interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.
Wall Street sets records ahead of key earnings
Last Friday, all three major U.S. indexes closed at record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 472.51 points to reach 47,207.12, marking its first close above the 47,000 level. The S&P 500 rose 0.79% to 6,791.69, while the Nasdaq Composite increased 1.15% to 23,204.87.
Investors now turn their attention to a widely anticipated rate cut from the Federal Reserve this week, as well as a wave of earnings reports from leading technology firms.
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