Asia-Pacific markets were set for a weaker open Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced fresh tariffs on furniture, heavy trucks and pharmaceutical products.
Trump said on Truth Social early Friday that from Oct. 1, kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and associated products will face a 50% tariff, while a 30% tariff will be charged for upholstered furniture. Additionally, heavy trucks will be imposed a 25% levy, while and “any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product” faces 100% duties.
Overnight in the U.S., Trump also signed an executive order approving a proposal that would keep TikTok alive in the U.S. The transaction values the business at $14 billion, according to Vice President JD Vance.
Under the terms, which China must approve, a new joint-venture company will oversee TikTok’s U.S. business, with ByteDance retaining less than a 20% stake.
Futures for Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 stood at 8,810, slightly higher than its last close of 8,773.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 futures pointed to a weaker open for the market after the Nikkei hit a record close on Thursday, with the futures contract in Chicago at 45,425, and its counterpart in Osaka at 45,330 compared to the previous close of 45,754.93.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures were at 26,372, lower than the HSI’s last close of 26,484.68.
Overnight in the U.S., the pullback in tech on Wall Street continued for a third straight day, partly due to rising yields.
The 10-year Treasury yield touched 4.2% after data on initial claims for unemployment insurance came in lower than expected. Artificial intelligence play Oracle slid 5%, while Tesla was also among the day’s laggards, falling 4%.
The S&P 500 closed down 0.50% at 6,604.72, as did the Nasdaq Composite, which settled at 22,384.70. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 0.38%, to finish at 45,947.32.
—CNBC’s Jonathan Varnian, Pia Singh and Sean Conlon contributed to this report.