
Source: AFP
Asian markets were mixed connected Thursday aft President Donald Trump said helium had "no intention" of firing the US cardinal slope caput and made conciliatory comments connected his commercialized warfare with China.
Trump's attacks connected the Federal Reserve for not cutting involvement rates had raised fears that helium would occurrence its "Mr. Too Late" main Jerome Powell, successful a large stroke to its independence.
Trump's rowback connected Wednesday boosted Wall Street, arsenic did his comments that US tariffs connected China were "very high" and would "come down substantially".
The broad-based S&P 500 finished 1.7 percent higher connected Wednesday. European stocks besides rallied, with Frankfurt gaining much than 3 percent.
Trump could besides exempt car parts from immoderate tariffs connected China alongside those connected alloy and aluminum successful a "destacking", the Financial Times reported.
Tokyo roseate much than 1 percent, portion Sydney added 0.6 percent and Shanghai 0.3 percent.
But Seoul fell aft authoritative information showed South Korea's economy unexpectedly contracted 0.1 percent successful the archetypal 3 months of 2025.
Hong Kong and Taipei were besides somewhat down.
"Both US equities and authorities bonds person staged a alleviation rally implicit the past 24 hours, arsenic concerns astir Fed independency and the commercialized warfare person eased," said Hubert de Barochez astatine Capital Economics.
"But the information that the rally was sparked mostly by conciliatory remarks from US President Trump -- whose rhetoric is notoriously volatile -- raises questions astir its durability," de Barochez said.
On trade, Washington has imposed further tariffs of 145 percent connected a scope of products from China, portion Beijing has retaliated with levies of 125 percent connected US goods.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters connected Wednesday that Washington is "not yet" speaking with Beijing connected tariffs, calling the precocious levies not "sustainable".
Bessent besides said that successful its talks with Japan connected tariffs, Washington had "absolutely nary currency targets", aft repeated comments from Trump that helium wants a stronger yen.
Japan's envoy Ryosei Akazawa met Trump and different elder US officials past week, and section media reported Thursday that helium volition instrumentality for different circular connected May 1.
Nintendo shares gained arsenic overmuch arsenic 5.5 percent aft its president said determination were "extremely high" pre-orders successful Japan for its Switch 2 crippled console up of its planetary motorboat connected June 5.
Key figures astatine 0300 GMT
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.9 percent astatine 34,868.63 (break)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.23 percent 22,022.77
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.26 percent astatine 3,304.97
Euro/dollar: UP astatine $1.1351 from $1.1317 connected Wednesday
Pound/dollar: UP astatine $1.3281 from $1.3257
Dollar/yen: DOWN astatine 142.78 from 143.49 yen
Euro/pound: UP astatine 85.47 from 85.34 pence
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.05 percent astatine $62.24 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: UNCHANGED astatine $66.12 per barrel
New York - Dow: UP 1.1 percent astatine 39,606.57 (close)
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.9 percent astatine 8,403.18 (close)
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Source: AFP