Asian Markets Overview
Asian markets traded mixed this Friday, following a lackluster session on Wall Street. Uncertainty about US-China trade relations, mounting political tensions, and caution ahead of key economic data weighed on the mood.
Japan – Nikkei 225 +0.4%
Technical rebound after yesterday's losses, supported by exporters as the yen slides towards 144/USD. Investors also digested disappointing household spending data.
Stocks in motion: SoftBank +1.2%, Sony +0.8%
China – Shanghai Composite -0.06%
Market searching for direction after the Trump-Xi exchange yielded no concrete progress. The offshore yuan continued to fall, fueling caution ahead of inflation and trade figures due on Monday.
Impacted sectors: Tech lagged, finance stable
Hong Kong – Hang Seng -0.09%
Pause after yesterday's technical rebound, affected by US-China tensions and persistent weakness in Chinese tech stocks.
Key stocks: Alibaba -0.6%, Tencent -0.3%, Meituan -0.9%
India – Sensex +0.18%
Support from financials after another 50 basis-point cut to the policy rate by the RBI, aiming to stimulate activity.
Stocks to watch: HDFC Bank +1.1%, Tata Steel +0.7%
Why is this important?
The caution seen in Asia reflects broader macro uncertainty: geopolitical tensions, currency volatility, and expectations around US data. Wait-and-see positioning could weigh on Europe's open.
US After Market Recap
Rent the Runway (RENT) +20.18% → Strong gain thanks to renewed inventory interest and inflow of new customers
Lululemon (LULU) -22.37% → Lowered annual outlook after disappointing Q1 same-store sales
DocuSign (DOCU) -16.79% → Reduced annual billing forecasts
Circle (CRCL) +5.38% → Good IPO debut
Guess? (GES) +1.18% → Better than expected results despite a quarterly loss
Medtronic (MDT) +0.09% → Eighth straight up session
US Futures Pre-market
Dow Futures: +0.32%
S&P 500 Futures: +0.29%
Nasdaq 100 Futures: +0.23%
Conclusion
Week ends on a high note with Sino-American tensions, the Trump-Musk standoff, and anticipation for the US jobs report.
Watch for: increased tech volatility, appetite for safe havens (gold at 4-week high of $3,370), and major macro data releases in China on Monday.
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Have a great session, everyone
Sylvain Mouilhaud: Equity Coach
