Asia-Pacific markets close mostly higher as investors weigh Trump's vow on fresh chip tariffs

Asia-Pacific markets closed mostly higher Thursday.

Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark rose 0.65% to close at 41,059.15, while the Topix climbed 0.72% to 2,987,92.

Over in South Korea, the Kospi index advanced 0.92% to end the day at 3,227.68, and the small-cap Kosdaq added 0.29% to close at 805.81.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was 0.69% higher at 25,081.63, while mainland China's CSI 300 ended the day flat.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 bucked the wider trend, closing 0.14% lower at 8,831.4.

— Nur Hikmah Md Ali

Indian stocks fell in early trade Thursday following U.S. President Donald Trump's additional 25% tariff. This brings the total levies against the South Asian giant to 50%.

The 50-stock benchmark Nifty 50 fell 0.31%, while the BSE Sensex index lost 0.35% as of 9.25 a.m. Indian Standard time (11.55 p.m. ET Wednesday).

— Amala Balakrishner

Oil rises after U.S. President Donald Trump said he planned to impose a 100% tariff on chip imports, except that of companies that manufactured domestically.

Brent Crude was trading at $67.56 per barrel after moving up 1%, as of 11:50 a.m. Singapore time (11:50 p.m. ET Monday).

Meanwhile, the West Texas Intermediate crude added 1.13% to $65.06.

— Amala Balakrishner

China's exports growth in July sharply beat market expectations as the clock on a tariff truce with the U.S. keeps ticking, while imports rose their highest jump in a year.

Exports climbed 7.2% in July in U.S. dollar terms from a year earlier, customs data showed Thursday, exceeding Reuters-polled economists' estimates of a 5.4% rise.

Imports rose 4.1% last month from a year earlier, accelerating the 1.1% rebound in June in its first growth this year. Economists had forecast imports to fall 1.0%, according to a Reuters poll.

Read the full story, here.

— Anniek Bao

Shares of Cathay Pacific Airways plunged as much as 4.52% Thursday, extending its declines for the second consecutive session.

This comes after the company posted a 1% profit growth in the first half of 2025 on Wednesday and said it bought 14 Boeing 777-9 aircraft.

— Amala Balakrishner

Chinese and Hong Kong stocks started the day higher Thursday, amid a rise in most of the other key Asia-Pacific markets.

As of 9:40 a.m. local time (9:40 p.m. ET Wednesday), the Hang Seng Index added 0.23%, while the mainland's CSI 300 ticked up by 0.14%.

— Amala Balakrishner

Taiwan's benchmark Taiex index surged over 2% in early trade Thursday, reversing course from losses in its previous session.

The benchmark was up 2.22% as of 9:35 a.m. local time (9:35 p.m. ET Wednesday), with gains led by the technology, industrials and healthcare sectors, according to data from LSEG.

The top three performers were TPK Holding which surged 9.97%, Pell Bio Med Technology which advanced 9.95% and Gigastorage Corp which added 9.87%.

Meanwhile, shares of tech giants Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Hon Hai Precision Industry — known globally as Foxconn — were last seen trading 4.44% and 3.49% higher, respectively.

The iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF shows the index's moves:

— Amala Balakrishner

Japan's Topix index rose for the third consecutive session Thursday and briefly hit a record high of 2,989.59.

The broad-based index had gained 0.76% as of 10:42 a.m. local time (9:42 p.m. ET Wednesday),

Gains were led by medical services platform M3 Inc which surged 20.75%, healthcare data provider JMDC Inc which jumped 17.11% and accessories retailer Intermestic which advanced 13.46%.

— Amala Balakrishner

Semiconductor-related stocks in Asia continued to trade mixed Thursday following news of U.S. President Donald Trump's vow to impose 100% tariffs on chips and semiconductor exports to the U.S., barring those of U.S. companies that manufacture domestically.

Shares of South Korea's SK Hynix fell 0.77%, while that of Samsung Electronics added 2.47% as of 8:40 a.m. Singapore time (8:40 p.m. ET Wednesday).

Over in Japan, semiconductor testing equipment supplier Advantest's shares were flat, while technology conglomerate SoftBank — which owns a majority stake in chip designer Arm — added 1.77%.

Meanwhile, shares of Tokyo Electron and Renesas Electronics tumbled 2.62% and 1.96%, respectively.

— Amala Balakrishner

Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed Thursday.

As of 8:06 a.m. Singapore time (8:08 p.m. ET Wednesday), Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark was flat while the broader Topix index ticked up 0.19%.

In South Korea, the Kospi index fell 0.12% while the small-cap Kosdaq was unchanged.

Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 benchmark was flat.

— Amala Balakrishner

S&P 500 futures moved up 0.24%, while Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.24% as of 7:20 a.m. Singapore time (7:20 p.m. ET Wednesday).

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were last seen up 68 points, or 0.15%.

— Amala Balakrishner

Good morning from Singapore.

Investors will be keeping a close watch on chip stocks following U.S. President Donald Trump's vow to impose 100% tariffs on imported semiconductors and chips, unless they are made by companies "building in the United States."

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to open lower, with the futures contract in Chicago at 40,785 while its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 40,790, against the index's last close of 40,794.86.

Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 24,903, pointing to a weaker open compared with the HSI's Wednesday close of 24,910.63.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was set to start the day lower with futures tied to the benchmark at 8,779, compared with its last close of 8,843.70.

— Amala Balakrishner

President Donald Trump said late Wednesday that he would slap a 100% duty on imports of semiconductors and chips – with an exception for companies that are "building in the United States."

"We're going to be putting a very large tariff on chips and semiconductors," he said, speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon.

"But the good news for companies like Apple is if you're building in the United States or have committed to build, without question, committed to build in the United States, there will be no charge," Trump added.

Shares of Apple advanced 3% in extended trading, fresh off a 5% gain in the regular session.

— Kevin Breuninger, Darla Mercado

Shortly after 6 p.m. ET, futures tied to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 each dipped about 0.1%. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 53 points, or 0.1%.

— Pia Singh

All the three major averages finished with gains on Wednesday.

The S&P 500 advanced 0.73% to finish at 6,345.06, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.21%, closing at 21,169.42. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also rose 81.38 points, or 0.18%, to end the day at 44,193.12.

— Sean Conlon