Asian equity markets showed a mixed performance on Wednesday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and South Korea’s KOSPI both rose over 1%, following Wall Street’s tech gains, while Japan’s Nikkei declined amid a strengthening yen. The initial enthusiasm from Monday’s U.S.-China tariff truce is subsiding, prompting investors to await new trade developments while examining softer inflation data from the U.S.

1. Daily Market Performance Overview

• Hong Kong Hang Seng: +1.1%

• South Korea KOSPI: +1.5%

• Japan Nikkei 225: –0.8% (yen trading at ¥148.20/$1)

• China A-Shares (CSI 300 & Shanghai Composite): Flat

View today’s top performers across global exchanges in real time using comprehensive market tracking tools.

2. Diminishing Impact of the Trade Truce

Following Monday’s announcement of cuts to U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% (from 145%) and China’s duties reduced to 10% (from 125%) for 90 days, risk appetite surged. However, by Wednesday, this rally began to lose momentum as markets priced in uncertainties regarding a long-term agreement.

3. Effects of Softer U.S. Inflation

The latest April CPI release indicated:

• Headline CPI (YoY): 2.3% vs. 2.4% expected

• Core CPI (MoM): 0.2% vs. 0.3% expected

The cooler CPI numbers have eased concerns surrounding rapid Federal Reserve tightening; however, ongoing trade-policy volatility leaves many investors wary. Monitoring upcoming economic data and Fed events is advisable.

4. Technology Stocks Outperform

Tech stocks thrived following NVIDIA’s announcement to supply 18,000 AI GPUs to Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN subsidiary. Companies like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix experienced notable gains, contributing to the overall rise in South Korea.

What to Monitor Moving Forward

1. Future Trade Negotiations: Insights from ongoing discussions could spark new market trends.

2. Yen Fluctuations: Further yen strength may impact Tokyo’s market and influence exporter profitability.

3. Upcoming Global CPI Reports: Updates on inflation from Europe and the U.S. will affect monetary policy expectations and regional equities.

By correlating real-time market data with upcoming economic event calendars, investors can stay informed and ready to act in this fast-changing environment.