Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
China Factory PMI Seen Returning to Growth in June as AI Export Demand Supports Economy 
Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
Gold Price Falls as Fed Rate Hike Fears and U.S.-Iran Tensions Weigh on Bullion 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
Asian Stocks Slip as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Lift Oil, Dollar Strength Persists 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.8% to 37,096.51 by midday Tuesday, its lowest level since September 18, as investors grew cautious ahead of new U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. The Topix index dropped 1.2% to 2,696.99, with market sentiment further dampened by a stronger yen and underperformance in exporters and tech stocks.
The yen strengthened to its highest level since early December after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Japan and China against currency devaluation, calling it unfair to the U.S. The stronger yen weighed on major exporters like Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM), down 2.2%, while Fast Retailing fell 2.6% and SoftBank Group (TYO: 9984) slid 5.2%. Seven & i Holdings tumbled 10.2%, adding to the market downturn.
Technology stocks struggled as well, with Advantest plunging 6.2% amid concerns over U.S. growth and tariff impacts. Analysts noted similarities to last summer’s market turmoil, when the Nikkei plunged due to a rising yen and U.S. recession fears.
Wall Street’s major indexes closed sharply lower Monday after Trump announced 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, alongside an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods. The impact rippled through global markets, fueling volatility in Japan.
The Nikkei Volatility Index surged to 31.6, its highest since early November, following the U.S. presidential election. Analysts suggest Japan’s policymakers may remain hawkish on yen movements, limiting hopes for intervention.
As trade tensions escalate and economic uncertainty looms, investors remain wary of further downside risks in Japan’s stock market.
