Overview

• President Trump said he will impose a 30 percent levy on most imports from the European Union and Mexico starting August 1.
• The European Union extended its suspension of planned counter-tariffs until early August in hopes of clinching a negotiated settlement.
• Australia’s P/ASASX 200 index closed down 0.11 percent at 8,570.40, while major miners BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue rose on a roughly 4 percent rally in iron ore futures.
• Asian equity markets traded unevenly with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and Shanghai Composite up about 0.5 percent, Tokyo’s Nikkei down 0.3 percent and South Korea’s Kospi up 0.8 percent.
• Bitcoin topped $120,000 for the first time, underscoring rising demand for decentralized assets amid policy-driven uncertainty.