Overview

• Asian trading closed mixed, with Tokyo and Seoul down while Hong Kong and Taiwan rose, and mainland Chinese indexes notched moderate gains before Golden Week closures through October 8.
• The Reserve Bank of Australia kept its cash rate at 3.6%, and Sydney shares slipped following the decision.
• Europe opened slightly lower as the Stoxx 600 fell about 0.21% in early trade, with investors digesting tariff headlines and U.S. budget uncertainty alongside data showing UK Q2 GDP up 0.3% and a surprise drop in German retail sales.
• China’s manufacturing signals diverged, with the official NBS PMI at 49.8 indicating slight contraction and the S&P Global measure at 51.2 pointing to expansion.
• President Donald Trump reiterated plans for additional tariffs on imported furniture and proposed a 100% levy on foreign films, while Congress has yet to resolve a budget impasse that could trigger a shutdown on October 1.