Asia markets slip following U.S. court ruling on Trump’s tariffs

May 30, 2025 (MLN): Asia-Pacific markets fell Friday, weighed down by a slowing U.S. economy, inflation fears, and uncertainties stemming from judicial developments related to U.S. President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs.

The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled Wednesday night that Trump had overstepped his authority when imposing the tariffs, ordering that the challenged tariff orders be vacated.

However, the Trump administration quickly filed a notice of appeal, and an appeals court reinstated the levies Thursday afternoon.

The administration stated it could ask the Supreme Court as early as Friday to pause the original federal court ruling if necessary, as CNBC reported.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 declined 1.37%, while the broader Topix index dropped 0.77%, as investors digested a slew of data releases.

Tokyo’s core inflation reading for April, excluding fresh food, rose 3.6% from a year earlier its highest level since January 2023.

South Korea’s Kospi index fell 0.42%, while the small-cap Kosdaq edged up 0.12% in choppy trading. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 moved down 0.12%.

Mainland China’s CSI 300 index was flat at the open, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 1.31% in early trade.

U.S. futures were little changed as investors awaited further trade developments and fresh inflation data.

Overnight on Wall Street, all three key benchmarks rose, though gains were limited by caution over the court rulings on Trump’s tariffs.

The S&P 500 ended 0.4% higher at 5,912.17, supported by strong gains in chipmaker Nvidia, despite climbing as much as 0.9% intraday.

The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.39% to 19,175.87, after rising as much as 1.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 117.03 points, or 0.28%, to close at 42,215.73.

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