The Japanese stock market has experienced a rise over the last three consecutive sessions, gaining nearly 550 points, or a 1.4% increase. The Nikkei 225 is currently positioned slightly above the 39,570-point level, but there are indications that this upward trend might not sustain on Monday.
The outlook for Asian markets generally appears weak due to concerns stemming from the new U.S. tariffs imposed over the weekend. While European markets saw an uptick, the U.S. markets closed lower, suggesting that Asian markets might trend similarly downward.
On Friday, the Nikkei saw a modest increase, with gains in financial shares, technology stocks, and automobile manufacturers contributing to a positive session.
The index advanced by 58.52 points, or 0.15%, concluding at 39,572.49. It fluctuated within a range from 39,458.95 to 39,681.82 throughout the day.
Notable performances were seen from Nissan Motor, which rose 1.42%; Mazda Motor, up 0.52%; Toyota Motor, which increased by 0.83%; and Honda Motor, which edged up by 0.10%. Softbank Group saw a rise of 1.20%, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial gained 0.71%, Mizuho Financial went up by 0.44%, Mitsubishi Electric increased by 0.57%, while Sumitomo Mitsui Financial experienced a slight decline of 0.41%. Sony Group fell by 0.35%, Panasonic Holdings jumped by 1.69%, and Hitachi experienced a surge of 4.64%.
Wall Street presented a negative precedent, as major indices opened higher on Friday but suffered a late downturn, resulting in closing losses across the board.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 337.44 points, or 0.75%, settling at 44,544.66. The NASDAQ decreased by 54.26 points, or 0.28%, to close at 19,627.44, and the S&P 500 dropped 30.64 points, or 0.50%, concluding at 6,040.53. Over the week, the Dow rose by 0.3%, whereas the S&P 500 declined by 1.0% and the NASDAQ decreased by 1.6%.
The decline in stock prices was attributed to concerns over impending tariffs, announced by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. She confirmed that President Donald Trump's tariffs against major U.S. trading partners would take effect imminently.
The Trump administration is set to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods. The announcement raised fears of potential inflation, possibly influencing the Federal Reserve's policy duration.
Oil prices closed lower on Friday, amid uncertainties surrounding Trump’s tariff plans with Canada and Mexico and the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures for March delivery fell by $0.20, settling at $72.53 per barrel.
