A flight from global equities accelerated Monday and investors piled into haven assets as the fallout from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs deepened after China slapped retaliatory measures. From Sydney to Tokyo, Asian stocks plunged at the open along with commodities such as oil and copper. Trading of Nikkei 225 and Topix futures was suspended earlier as a circuit breaker was triggered due to a glut of sell orders, according to a notice on Japan Exchange Group's website. Yields on two-year Treasuries, the most policy sensitive bonds, dropped as much as 22 basis points while the Japanese yen and Swiss franc surged. Chinese stocks are bracing for a grim day when trading resumes after an extended weekend, during which Beijing announced 34% tariffs on all imports from the US. A gauge of US-listed Chinese shares fell 8.9% on Friday. For perspective on the week ahead for markets, we speak with Helen Zhu, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at NF Trinity.
The tariff moves underscore the heightened concerns across financial markets as Trump attempts to reshape the global trade in Washington’s favor, increasing the risk of a recession. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made clear that the central bank won’t rush to react to the tariffs, which are likely to have a significant effect on the US economy, including slower growth and higher inflation. We explore what the global selloff could mean for monetary policy with Adam Coons, Co-Chief Investment Officer at Winthrop Capital Management.
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