Asian Stocks Open Lower Amid Trade Talks Uncertainty

Asian markets opened lower on Thursday as investors awaited new developments in trade negotiations. The cautious stance comes as US partners work to secure deals to avoid potential tariff threats from Donald Trump.

Market Performance Across Asia

Shanghai slipped 15.34 points, or 0.45%, to trade at 3,388.6. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged down 12.91 points, or 0.05%, to 23,627.74. Japan’s Nikkei took the sharpest hit, dropping 443.49 points, or 1.16%, to 37,684.64. South Korea’s Kospi also fell, down 4.34 points, or 0.16%, to 2,636.23 as of 8:00 am IST.

Global Market Reactions

US futures dipped slightly after a muted session on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 added just 0.1% and the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.5%, buoyed by tech giant Nvidia. This mixed performance in the US contrasted with the downward trend in Asian markets, signaling a cautious global investment climate.

Investor Sentiment and Future Outlook

"As trade tensions ease, investors are pivoting back to fundamentals, but they may not like what they see," said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide. The rapid shift from oversold to overbought conditions in the market suggests limited near-term upside unless there's a clear re-acceleration in growth.