Asian Shares Follow Wall Street Lower As Risk Aversion Mounts

Market Overview - Asian stocks declined, following Wall Street's downward trend, due to ongoing trade tensions, uncertainty over U.S. monetary policy, and heavy selling in precious metals [1] - Precious metals, including gold and silver, saw significant declines, with gold dropping over 5% and silver nearly 8% [2] - Oil prices fell nearly 5% amid reports of U.S. and Iran readiness to negotiate an agreement to ease tensions [2] Chinese Market - Chinese and Hong Kong markets experienced sharp declines, with China Vanke warning of an 11.8 billion net loss for 2025 and BYD reporting a 30.1% year-on-year drop in vehicle sales for January [3] - The Shanghai Composite index fell 2.48% to 4,015.75, while the Hang Seng index dropped 2.23% to 26,775.57 [3] - Both China Vanke and BYD shares fell more than 4% in Shanghai [3] Economic Data - China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) was reported at 49.3, below forecasts, indicating contraction, while the non-manufacturing PMI also fell into contraction [4] - A private gauge indicated that Chinese manufacturing activity continued to expand in January [4] Japanese Market - The Nikkei average decreased by 1.25% to 52,655.18, reversing early gains, while the broader Topix index settled 0.85% lower at 3,536.13 [5] - Major companies like SoftBank Group, Advantest, Disco Corp, and Lasertec saw declines ranging from 3.8% to 14% [5] - Investors overlooked a private-sector survey indicating Japan's manufacturing activity grew at the fastest pace in about three and a half years [6] South Korean Market - The Kospi average plunged 5.26% to 4,949.67, ending a four-session winning streak, with major companies like Hyundai Motor and Samsung Electronics falling between 4% and 9% [7] - The Korea Exchange issued a sell-side circuit breaker for 5 minutes during the trading session [7] Australian and New Zealand Markets - Australian markets closed lower, with the S&P/ASX 200 falling 1.02% to 8,778.60, driven down by financials and materials amid rate hike concerns [7] - New Zealand's S&P/NZX-50 index finished marginally lower at 13,412.44 [8] U.S. Market Influence - U.S. stocks ended lower, with the dollar index climbing and Treasury yields surging after President Trump nominated Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair, leading to a hawkish shift in U.S. monetary policy [8][9] - Warsh is perceived as skeptical of loose monetary policy and has previously criticized the Fed for underestimating inflation risks [9]