Asian stock markets struggled on Monday as the U.S. dollar strengthened following President Donald Trump’s imminent tariff hikes on steel and aluminum imports. This announcement sparked concerns about inflationary pressures which might hinder the Federal Reserve’s ability to cut interest rates further. Investors watched closely as the MSCI Asia-Pacific Index fell by 0.3%, while Japan’s Nikkei recorded a slight increase of 0.1%. Meanwhile, Wall Street futures exhibited volatility amidst a busy earnings schedule this week, indicating a complex market response to trade tensions.