Asia shares get off to bumpy start in 2025 with Trump's policies in focus

Asian stocks began the year on a dour note on Thursday as they struggled for traction after a jittery close to 2024, while the U.S. dollar charged higher and investor sentiment stayed cautious ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House. The start of the New Year was shaping up to be a less favourable one for equities, as uncertainty over the policies of incoming U.S. President Trump and a more hawkish Federal Reserve outlook looked set to dominate the market rhetoric for now. While global shares closed out 2024 with a strong yearly gain of nearly 16%, they had clocked a monthly loss of more than 2% in December.