Stock markets in Japan and South Korea experienced significant declines at the start of the week as fears over US President Donald Trump‘s tariff strategies intensified the global trade war narrative and raised alarms about potential economic disruptions. Trump has earmarked April 2 as “Independence Day,” signaling an announcement of an expanded and elevated tariff list.
The mood in Asian markets was somber as the week began, fueled by fresh tariff apprehensions. In Japan, the Nikkei index plummeted to close at 35,617.56 points, marking a substantial 4.0% drop. This constitutes the most severe daily fall for the Nikkei since September 30. Meanwhile, the South Korean stock market closed down by 3.0%, reaching 2,481.12 points.