U.S. stock futures rose on Monday as markets in the Asia-Pacific region traded mixed. Investors watch the April 2 deadline for President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs closely. The S&P/ASX 200 index added 0.07% to close at 7,936.9 in Australia. South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.42% to 2,632.07, while the small-cap Kosdaq gained 0.11% to finish at 720.22.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.18% to 37,608.49, and the Topix lost 0.47% to 2,790.88. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index advanced 0.91% to 23,905.56, and mainland China’s CSI 300 rose 0.51% to 3,934.85. Last Friday, the S&P 500 added 0.08% to close at 5,667.56, ending four weeks of declines.
The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.52% to 17,784.05, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 32.03 points, or 0.08%, to 41,985.35. President Trump mentioned there would be some “flexibility” regarding tariffs, although he reiterated the April 2 deadline.
Stock futures rise amid mixed trading
Reports suggest that the planned tariffs could be more focused than initially expected, with some countries being exempt. In other news, Singapore’s inflation rate hit a four-year low in February, with core inflation at 0.6%. Sumitomo Realty & Development Shares surged over 12% after Elliott Investment Management reportedly acquired a significant stake in the company.
Morgan Stanley raised its 2025 GDP forecast for China to 4.5%, citing robust activity data. The Federal Reserve revised its inflation forecasts higher while downgrading growth figures, likely due to Trump’s aggressive trade policies. However, the Fed called the tariffs-led inflationary impulse transitory and retained forecasts for two rate cuts this year.
Cryptocurrencies also saw gains, with Bitcoin trading around $86,500, up 2.7% on a 24-hour basis, and Solana’s SOL token trading nearly 6% higher at $138. The upcoming PCE reading and Senate Banking Committee hearings with SEC and Comptroller of the Currency nominees are key factors to watch in the coming days.
Photo by; Yolanda Suen on Unsplash
