Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Thursday as investors weighed fresh tariff threats from US President Donald Trump and reacted to corporate shake-ups in Japan.
While Australia’s ASX 200 gained, Japan’s Nikkei 225 hovered around the flatline, and South Korea’s Kospi extended losses.
Meanwhile, Seven & i Holdings plunged after a failed buyout attempt, while Nissan shares surged on reports of a potential CEO change.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.35%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 traded near the flatline, with the broader Topix adding 0.4%.
South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.82%, and the small-cap Kosdaq edged down 0.1%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 0.18%, while China’s CSI 300 declined 0.2%.
Seven & i Holdings plunges over 12% as buyout collapses
Shares of Japanese convenience store giant Seven & i Holdings tumbled as much as 12.44% after its founding family failed to secure financing for a management buyout.
According to a company filing, the deal, reportedly valued at over 8 trillion yen ($53.69 billion), was abandoned due to financing difficulties.
The Yomiuri newspaper earlier reported that the company had scrapped the plan entirely.
Junro Ito, vice president of Seven & i and son of the late founder Masatoshi Ito, had led the buyout bid through his affiliated company Ito-Kogyo, which holds an 8.2% stake in the retailer.
However, the company confirmed that no actionable proposal from the family is currently on the table.
Nissan gains 3% amid reports of CEO replacement talks
Nissan shares climbed 3.12% following reports that the automaker is considering replacing CEO Makoto Uchida.
According to Bloomberg, the move follows the collapse of merger discussions with Honda and disappointing financial results.
The report also comes after Fitch Ratings downgraded Nissan’s credit rating to BBB- from BB+, pushing it into junk status.
Trump revives tariff concerns; markets monitor Nvidia impact
Investor sentiment remained cautious after Trump reignited trade war fears, threatening to impose 25% tariffs on European Union imports.
This follows his decision to proceed with tariffs on Mexico and Canada after a previous postponement.
Asian traders are also keeping a close eye on semiconductor stocks after Nvidia’s blockbuster fourth-quarter earnings.
The AI-chip giant beat Wall Street expectations and issued bullish guidance, reinforcing investor confidence in the sector’s ongoing growth trajectory.
Wall Street recap: S&P 500 snaps losing streak
Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 gained 0.26%, ending a four-day losing streak to close at 5,956.06.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 188.04 points, or 0.43%, closing at 43,433.12 after initially rising as much as 0.6%.
The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.26% to end at 19,075.26, supported by gains in tech stocks.
As global markets react to shifting trade policies, corporate shake-ups, and AI-driven stock movements, investors remain on high alert for further volatility in the Asia-Pacific region.
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