Asia-Pacific stocks generally finish higher as investors consider tariffs and OPEC+ production increase.

The Asia-Pacific market was nearing its close on Monday.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index experienced a rise of 0.92%, finishing at 24,732.55, while the CSI 300 index from mainland China climbed by 0.39% to 4,070.70.

In contrast, Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped by 1.25% to end at 40,290.70, with the broader Topix index also falling slightly by 1.10% to 2,916.20.

South Korea’s Kospi index, however, saw an increase of 0.91%, closing at 3147.75, and the smaller Kosdaq gained 1.46% to reach 784.06.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index remained largely unchanged, finishing the day at 8,663.70.

In India, the Nifty 50, which consists of 50 stocks, rose by 0.49%, while the BSE Sensex index gained 0.42% as reported around 4:10 AM ET.

On Monday, Japanese government bond (JGB) yields declined mainly due to concerns regarding demand for 10-year bond auctions expected on Tuesday, particularly following predictions of weak employment data in the US.

Specifically, JGB yields fell by 4.7 basis points to reach 1.506% for 2010, while 2010 yields decreased by 5.8 basis points to 1.026%.

Additionally, yields for JGBs due in 2020 slipped slightly to 2.554%, whereas those due in 2030 saw a slight rise to 3.119%.

In the US, the 10-year Treasury yield climbed slightly to approximately 4.2493% by 4PM (4AM ET).

Shares of Thai Airways International skyrocketed by up to 231.33% upon resuming trading on Monday.

By 12:55 PM local time, the stock moderated to a still impressive gain of 186.14%, trading at 9.50.

According to data, shares of the Thai national airline last traded on May 17, 2021, as trading was suspended after the company entered bankruptcy restructuring at the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

Indian stocks kicked off their trading day on a positive note on Monday.

The benchmark Nifty 50 saw an increase of 0.35%, while the BSE Sensex index rose by 0.23% around 12:06 AM ET.

Spot gold prices fell on Monday after a notable rise of 2% in the previous session reached a weekly high. This decline comes amid worries over a soft job report from the US and potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

The price of gold dropped by 0.22%, landing at $3,355.37 per ounce as of 11:05 AM Singapore time.

Interestingly, Citi Investment Research is forecasting gold could reach $3,500 per ounce in the next three months, an increase from the previous projection of $3,300, reflecting concerns over inflation rates and a slowing U.S. economy.

They also noted factors such as a weakening labor market and a strengthening dollar as potential contributors.

On Monday, stocks in China and Hong Kong started the day on a downward trend, aligning with the broader decline across other major Asia-Pacific markets.

As of 9:40 AM local time, the Hang Seng index saw a loss of 0.23%, while the CSI 300 in mainland China fell by 0.42%.

Japanese stocks fell significantly on Monday, with the Nikkei 225 dropping more than 2%. The decline was influenced primarily by the financial sector and export-driven companies, particularly in the automotive industry, which weakened following a drop in the yen against the dollar.

The Nikkei 225 fell by 2.05% to 39,969.79 around 10:05 AM local time, while the broader Topix index decreased by 1.81% to 2,895.54.

Notably, the yen saw a depreciation of 0.22% against the US dollar, now at 147.69.

The Asia-Pacific market had a mixed start on Monday.

The Nikkei 225 index dropped by 2.05%, while the broader Topix showed a decrease of 1.86%. In South Korea, the Kospi gained 0.13%, and the Kosdaq rose by 0.53%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 benchmark slipped by 0.21%.

US stock futures were mostly steady in early Asian trading on Monday as investors absorbed the implications of recent US tariffs.

The futures for the S&P 500 decreased by 0.05%, while Nasdaq 100 futures slightly increased by 0.06%. Meanwhile, Dow Jones futures fell by 12 points, or 0.03%.

Good morning from Singapore.

Investors continue to evaluate the latest US tariffs, which have raised concerns about inflation and potential economic slowdown.

They are also keeping an eye on oil prices in light of OPEC+ decision to boost production levels to 547,000 barrels per day in September.

The Nikkei 225 futures traded at 39,965, while Osaka’s counterpart was last noted at 39,900. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures suggested a weaker opening at 24,282, down from a close of 24,507.81. The Australian S&P/ASX 200 was expected to start lower as well, compared to futures tied to 8,587 benchmarks.

On Friday, oil prices saw a decline largely attributed to the prospect of a stronger US dollar and OPEC+ possibly increasing crude production further.

OPEC+ announced an increase of 547,000 barrels per day in September, marking a continuation of production hikes as they aim to regain market share, particularly in light of concerns over potential supply destruction linked to Russia.

The organization highlighted a robust economic environment and low inventory levels as justifications for this decision.

Early trading on Monday showed Brent crude futures decreasing to $69.24 per barrel, down 43 cents (0.62%), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell by 39 cents (0.58%) to $66.94 per barrel.

Stocks fell on Friday following weaker-than-expected employment reports, which raised concerns about a slowdown in the economy.

The S&P 500 decreased by 1.6%, closing at 6,238.01, while the Nasdaq Composite pulled back by 2.24% to end at 20,650.13. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 542.40 points, a decline of 1.23%, finishing at 43,588.58.