Hopes for a thaw in the U.S.-China trade conflict sent a wave of optimism through global markets on Friday. Asian stocks and U.S. futures gained after Beijing signaled it was open to discussing tariffs, easing investor concerns triggered by weak earnings reports from Apple and Amazon.
🔹 Beijing Opens the Door, Wall Street Reacts
China’s Ministry of Commerce stated that the U.S. had “repeatedly expressed a willingness to negotiate on tariffs,” and that Beijing is ready to talk. This comment quickly lifted market sentiment—S&P 500 futures rose by 0.6%, and Nasdaq futures added 0.3%, reversing early losses caused by Apple’s warning that tariffs could raise its costs by $900 million this quarter.
Apple also said it would slow its share buyback program, without providing a clear financial target. Amazon added to the gloom with disappointing earnings. However, earlier in the week, strong results from Microsoft and Meta Platforms provided some relief, suggesting that not all tech giants are equally affected.
🔹 Asian Markets in the Green
Improved sentiment extended across Asia:
🔹 Japan’s Nikkei index rose 0.70%
🔹 Taiwan’s benchmark jumped 2%
🔹 MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index (ex-Japan) gained 0.4%
Despite the gains, traders remained cautious amid the shifting White House trade strategy. Meanwhile, fresh economic data stoked further worries: the U.S. economy shrank in Q1 for the first time in three years, and China’s industrial output fell at its fastest pace in 16 months.
💱 Yen Weakens, Dollar Strengthens
In currency markets, the Japanese yen fell to 145.62 per dollar, its weakest level since April 10. The drop came a day after the Bank of Japan kept interest rates unchanged and lowered its growth outlook in light of U.S. tariffs.
The weaker yen helped the U.S. dollar post its best week since February. The dollar index hovered near 100.14, as traders awaited April's non-farm payroll data. Reuters forecasts expect 130,000 new jobs, down from March’s 228,000 gain.
🗣️ Japan Reminds It Has Leverage
Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato told reporters that Japan holds over $1 trillion in U.S. Treasuries, which could be used as leverage in trade negotiations. His comments came as Japan’s top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington for a second round of bilateral talks.
🛢️ Mixed Commodities: Gold Drops, Oil Climbs
Commodities delivered mixed signals:
🔹 Gold fell to $3,234.90 per ounce, heading for its weakest week in two months as demand for safe havens cooled.
🔹 Oil moved higher—Brent crude rose 0.56%, while WTI crude climbed 0.6%, following warnings from Donald Trump about possible secondary sanctions on Iran.
🧩 Summary:
Signals of a possible easing in U.S.-China tariff tensions sent global markets upward. Still, uncertainty remains high, with ongoing fears of a global slowdown and mixed performance from major tech companies.
#stockmarket , #globaleconomy , #Geopolitics , #WallStreetNews , #worldnews
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