FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Waver as Trump Tariffs Loom

On Monday, the Nikkei 225 Index experienced a modest increase of 0.2%, reaching over 37,700, while the Topix Index saw a decline of 0.3%, settling at 2,795 amidst mixed trading conditions. Japanese stocks faced uncertainty as market participants were cautious about US President Donald Trump's April 2 deadline for reciprocal tariffs, which dampened investor sentiment. Nonetheless, there was a glimmer of hope as President Trump suggested potential "flexibility" in implementing the tariffs, and reports over the weekend indicated that the tariffs might be more limited in scope, potentially excluding certain industry sectors. On the domestic front, recent figures indicated a contraction in Japan's private sector activity for the first time in five months. The manufacturing sector continued its nine-month decline, and services activity also turned negative. In terms of sectors, technology companies generally saw gains, whereas banking stocks faced downward pressure.