Global shares traded mixed on Thursday, with French and German markets experiencing gains while British shares fell. In Asia, major benchmarks finished lower as concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies weighed heavily on global investors’ minds. France’s CAC 40 gained 0.4% in early trading to reach 8,142.89, and Germany’s DAX rose 0.3% to 22,507.07.
Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to 8,684.84. In the U.S., shares were set to trade mixed with Dow futures up nearly 0.2% at 44,627.59, while the S&P 500 futures declined 0.2% to 6,148.00. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.2% to finish at 38,678.04.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 also decreased by 1.2% to 8,322.80, while South Korea’s Kospi fell almost 0.7% to 2,654.06. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slumped 1.6% to 22,576.98 after China left its benchmark interest rate unchanged in an effort to maintain financial stability.
Mixed trading amid tariff worries
The Shanghai Composite dropped slightly by less than 0.1% to 3,350.78. The yuan has been under siege, with foreign-exchange outflows surging last month as Trump’s tariff rhetoric sent shockwaves through markets,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management. In energy trading in Asia, benchmark U.S. crude decreased by 31 cents to $71.94 a barrel.
Brent crude, the international standard, fell by 21 cents to $75.83 a barrel. The yen strengthened against the U.S. dollar, dipping below 150 yen at one point. The Federal Reserve has indicated that it may take time before considering a cut in rates.
During Thursday’s trading in Asia, the U.S. dollar slipped to 150.35 Japanese yen from 151.37 yen. The euro cost $1.0436, up from $1.0428.
Photo by; Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
