Hong Kong (AFP) – Stock markets extended the week’s gains Thursday on optimism that other countries will follow up the Japan-US trade deal with agreements of their own, as speculation builds that the EU is on course. Investors have been on a roll in recent weeks on bets that governments will eventually hammer out pacts with Donald Trump ahead of the US president’s August 1 deadline.
The mood has been upbeat since Japan reached a deal to lower sweeping tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent, including those on the country’s crucial car sector. The breakthrough has fanned hopes that others are in the pipeline. There is talk that the European Union is edging towards an agreement. Reports say Brussels could negotiate something similar to Japan, with tariffs cut to 15 percent from the threatened 30 percent.
The Financial Times reported that the two would waive tariffs on some products, including aircraft, spirits, and medical devices. This comes after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that negotiations were making progress, with talks planned later in the day between the bloc’s top trade negotiator and his American counterpart. Analysts indicated that a deal with Washington’s biggest trading entity would provide a massive boost to equities. However, failure to reach a deal, triggering Trump’s 30-percent levies on August 1, could cause havoc on markets, analysts warned.
France has been the loudest in insisting that Brussels must show it is willing to deploy its trade weapon, known as the anti-coercion instrument, which would allow officials to take measures such as import and export restrictions on goods and services. Neil Wilson at Saxo Markets cautioned that this could “effectively kill trade between the two… the nuclear option is on the table it seems, but for the moment, expectation seems to be veering towards a deal.”
After another record day for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq on Wall Street, Asia picked up the baton and ran. Tokyo piled on more than one percent, having jumped more than three percent Wednesday on the trade deal, while Hong Kong continued its standout year with another advance. Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Wellington, Taipei, and Jakarta also rose, with London, Paris, and Frankfurt on the front foot. There were some losses noted in Sydney, Mumbai, and Bangkok.
Traders are also keeping an eye on developments in Tokyo after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba denied discussing his resignation with party elders on Wednesday, as speculation about his future intensified following a weekend election debacle. Despite the saga, the yen extended its gains, briefly hitting 145.86 per dollar as the trade deal allows investors to turn their attention to the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting next week, hoping for guidance on its next interest rate hike. The yen had been sitting around 147.90 before the deal. Bank officials have held off making significant changes amid tariff uncertainty, but observers say the agreement may allow them to reconsider lifting interest rates in October.
– Key figures at around 0810 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.6 percent at 41,826.34 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.5 percent at 25,667.18 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,605.73 (close)
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 9,114.32
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 146.34 yen from 146.47 yen on Wednesday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1764 from $1.1777
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3562 from $1.3579
Euro/pound: UP at 86.74 pence from 86.68 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.8 percent at $65.80 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.8 percent at $69.03 per barrel
New York – Dow: UP 1.1 percent at 45,010.29 (close)
© 2024 AFP
