Global markets today: Nikkei, Kospi futures trade mix after Trump rules out tariff deadline extension

Global markets today: Asian markets saw mixed trading on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump ruled out extending the deadline for tariffs scheduled to begin on August 1.

On Tuesday, Trump also announced a 50 per cent tariff on copper imports and signaled that additional industry-specific duties are on the way.

He further warned of possible tariffs of up to 200 per cent on pharmaceutical imports into the U.S., but noted that there would be a grace period of around a year to a year and a half before these tariffs take effect.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose by 0.33 per cent, and the broader Topix index edged up 0.17 per cent. In South Korea, the Kospi remained largely unchanged, while the small-cap Kosdaq gained 0.29 per cent. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index declined by 0.26 per cent.

U.S stock futures closed marginally lower on Tuesday after a volatile session, as investors remained cautious amid uncertainty over U.S. trade policy. This followed President Donald Trump's recent tariff threats, which hurt optimism surrounding trade negotiations with several partners.

On Monday, U.S. stocks had dropped significantly after Trump announced plans to impose broad new tariffs on imports from major trading partners like Japan and South Korea, along with several smaller nations, beginning in August.

Overnight in the U.S., two of the three major Wall Street indices closed little changed, hovering around the flatline.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 165.60 points, or 0.37 per cent, to close at 44,240.76. The S&P 500 slipped 4.46 points, or 0.07 per cent, ending at 6,225.52, while the Nasdaq Composite inched up by 5.95 points, or 0.03 per cent, finishing at 20,418.46.

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

Catch all the Business News , Market News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.

Download the Mint app and read premium stories