Asia-Pacific markets were set to open lower Thursday, tracking Wall Street’s declines on concerns about U.S.-China trade relations.
Trade fears resurfaced after Reuters reported Wednesday stateside that the Trump administration is considering curbs on exports to China that are made with U.S. software, citing a U.S. official and three people briefed by U.S. authorities.
The sources said that the plan, which could cover a wide range of items from laptops to jet engines, might not move forward, however, and that it’s not the only option that’s being discussed.
Investors in Asia will also look to the Bank of Korea’s policy rate decision later in the day. The country’s central bank is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5% according to economists polled by Reuters, as policymakers continue to flag household debt as a key risk.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225
