Asian stock markets were mostly higher on Wednesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street.

Investor sentiment was lifted by growing expectations of early interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve after a larger-than-expected decline in US consumer confidence for March.

Optimism also stemmed from potential tariff exemptions by the US administration, as traders awaited further clarity on upcoming trade policies. On Tuesday, Asian markets ended on a mixed note.

At an event on Monday, US President Donald Trump stated that he “may give a lot of countries breaks” on reciprocal tariffs set to take effect on April 2, adding to speculation over trade policies.

Japan’s Nikkei extends gains

The Japanese stock market moved higher, adding to the gains from the previous session.

The Nikkei 225 traded near the 38,000 mark, supported by advances in index heavyweights, exporters, and technology stocks.

By the morning session close, the Nikkei 225 was up 109.61 points, or 0.29 percent, at 37,890.15, after touching an intraday high of 38,151.39.

Among individual stocks, SoftBank Group rose nearly 1 percent, while Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing gained more than 1 percent.

In the auto sector, Honda and Toyota both declined by more than 1 percent.

Hong Kong and China stocks rebound

Hong Kong stocks advanced, driven by gains in Chinese electric vehicle makers and a rebound in technology shares.

The Hang Seng Index rose 0.24 percent to 23,399.84, recovering from Tuesday’s close at its lowest level since March 4.

The Hang Seng Tech Index gained 0.6 percent.

On the mainland, the CSI 300 Index remained largely unchanged, while the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.2 percent.

Shares of Chinese EV maker Nio rose 1.2 percent to HK$34.20 after CEO William Li stated in a media briefing that the company expects to break even in the fourth quarter of this year.

Other Asian markets

Australian shares advanced for a fifth consecutive session, with the S&P/ASX 200 surpassing the 8,000 level.

The S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.78 percent to 8,004.40, after reaching a session high of 8,014.10.

Seoul shares opened higher Wednesday, following gains on Wall Street, driven by strength in tech and auto stocks.

The Kospi climbed 0.79%, to 2,636.639.

Wall Street recap

After the previous session’s rally, US stocks traded without clear direction on Tuesday, with major indexes fluctuating before settling higher for a third consecutive session.

The Nasdaq gained 83.26 points, or 0.5%, to close at 18,271.86, while the S&P 500 rose 9.08 points, or 0.2%, to 5,776.65.

The Dow edged up 4.18 points, or less than 0.1%, to 42,587.50.

Investors remained uncertain about President Donald Trump’s tariff strategy, following reports that the administration may take a more targeted approach.

Traders seemingly overlooked a report from the Conference Board, which showed a steeper-than-expected decline in US consumer confidence.

The consumer confidence index fell to 92.9 in March, down from a revised 100.1 in February, missing economists’ expectations of 94.2.

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The FTSE 100 index has remained in a consolidation phase in the past few weeks as investors focus on the Bank of England (BoE) actions and the upcoming tariffs by the Donald Trump administration. The index was trading at £8,665 on Wednesday, a few points below its all-time high of £8,910.

Bank of England actions

The FTSE 100 index has remained in a tight range as investors focused on the actions of the Bank of England. The BoE has become one of the most conservative central banks in the industry. 

It has delivered just three interest rate cuts in this cycle, bringing the headline rate to 4.50%. Officials have hinted that they will maintain their conservative leaning in the coming meetings even as the economy weakened.

The most recent economic data showed that the UK economy contracted slightly in January, a trend that may continue this year. 

A key concern is that Donald Trump may decide to increase tariffs on imported goods from the UK next week. On the positive side, the US and the UK have a fairly balanced trade relationship, meaning that it may be excluded from tariffs by the US. 

Therefore, some analysts believe that the BoE should embrace a more dovish tone since interest rates remain high, hurting growth. This explains why UK bond yields have continued rising, with the 10-year bunds yielding 4.75%, and the closely-watched 5-year yielding 4.40%.

The rising bond yields partially explain why the FTSE 100 index has remained under pressure since investors are receiving a higher return by just investing in the bond market. 

Economists expect that UK inflation will remain elevated for a while. Data released on Wednesday will show that the headline CPI remained at 3.0%, while the core CPI softened from 3.7% to 3.6%. These numbers are substantially higher than the BoE target of 2.0%.

Top FTSE 100 shares in 2025

Most companies in the FTSE 100 index have risen this year. Fresnillo, a Mexican company that mines silver, is the best-performing company in the Footsie as it jumped by 50% this year. This surge happened as investors predicted more revenue and profits because of higher silver prices. 

Airtel Africa share price has jumped by 43% this year, becoming one of the best telecom companies globally. The stock jumped after the company’s revenue growth accelerated. Its customer count jumped by 7.9% to 163.1 million, while the revenue in the last quarter jumped by 20% to $3.6 billion. 

Rolls-Royce share price has soared as investors cheered its strong results that showed that it reached its mid-year target two years ahead of schedule. 

Other top-performing companies in the FTSE 100 index this year are names like BAE Systems, Lloyds Banking Group, Prudential, Coca-Cola, Standard Chartered, Aviva, and Antofagasta. 

On the other hand, the top laggards in the index are companies like WPP, JD Sports, Diageo, Intercontinental Hotels, Sainsbury, and Glencore. All these companies have crashed by over 10% this year. 

FTSE 100 index technical analysis

FTSE 100 index chart | Source: TradingView

The daily chart shows that the FTSE 100 index has been in an uptrend in the past few months. It soared to a record high of £8,908, and then dropped. This decline was important as the stock retested the important support level at £8,473, the highest swing on May 15. This retreat was part of a break-and-retest chart pattern, a popular continuation sign.

The index has remained above the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), a sign that bulls are in control. Therefore, a combination of these moving averages and the break-and-retest points to further gains, potentially to the all-time high of £8,908. A break above that level will point to more gains, potentially to £9,000.

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Pop Mart International Group Ltd. reported a 188% surge in profit for 2024, driven by strong overseas demand for its intellectual property (IP) toys and rapid store expansion.

The Beijing-based toy maker saw net income reach 3.1 billion yuan ($427 million), significantly ahead of analyst expectations, while full-year sales more than doubled to 13 billion yuan ($1.79 billion).

With growing momentum outside China, Pop Mart now plans to expand its international presence, particularly in North America and Europe, through physical stores and brand collaborations focused on pop culture integration.

Pop Mart’s stock shot up after the results came out, but dipped sharply afterwards. The stock has gone up by over 350% in the past year.

North America and Europe expansion

Following strong international sales, Pop Mart is doubling down on its overseas strategy.

The company said it would prioritise physical store development in globally iconic locations across North America and Europe.

These regions have emerged as key growth markets amid the brand’s rising popularity and global recognition.

The approach aims to replicate the company’s success in Asia, where branded stores play a critical role in consumer engagement and IP visibility.

The firm stated that the goal of opening stores abroad is to “enhance brand experience and recognition,” as part of its broader plan to strengthen the link between pop culture and its collectible toy line-up.

Pop Mart also confirmed plans to build on its artist and brand partnerships to drive cross-boundary creative collaborations, a strategy that aligns with global consumer interest in novelty collectibles.

13 IPs cross 100 million yuan

Labubu, a standout among Pop Mart’s extensive portfolio of character IPs, was identified as a key contributor to the company’s 2024 growth.

The brand noted that 13 of its IPs individually generated over 100 million yuan ($13.8 million) in annual sales, highlighting the depth and popularity of its character range.

The company’s patented designs have proven particularly lucrative, with collectors and casual buyers alike contributing to strong product turnover.

Its growing ecosystem of original and licensed character properties remains a core pillar of its revenue model, as demonstrated by the spike in IP-driven sales this year.

This focus on IP development has helped Pop Mart distinguish itself from other toymakers, giving it an edge in a highly competitive retail market.

Brand collaborations to grow IPs

Looking ahead, Pop Mart plans to deepen cooperation with both artists and commercial brands.

This focus on cross-boundary collaboration is designed to enhance the appeal and cultural relevance of its toy lines.

By integrating visual art, fashion, and entertainment into its offerings, the company aims to broaden its audience and improve brand stickiness.

This strategy will also help adapt Pop Mart’s designs to regional tastes as it expands across diverse markets.

The combination of proprietary IPs and strategic licensing is expected to continue driving sales, particularly as the company expands its footprint in the Western hemisphere.

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The US Department of Commerce has added 80 entities to its export control “entity list,” including more than 50 from China, as part of an intensified crackdown on the flow of advanced American technologies.

The move is the Trump administration’s first such action under its ongoing national security policy and aims to prevent China from acquiring sensitive US-origin technology for military purposes.

The banned companies include developers of artificial intelligence (AI), exascale computing, and quantum technologies.

Firms can no longer be supplied by US businesses without a government-issued licence.

27 firms linked to China’s military tech

According to the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), 27 of the blacklisted Chinese organisations were added for allegedly obtaining US-origin items that contribute to China’s military modernisation efforts.

Another seven were listed for assisting in the advancement of China’s quantum technology capabilities.

These additions are part of a larger strategy to curb Beijing’s access to cutting-edge computing technologies that are believed to have both civilian and military uses, commonly referred to as “dual-use technologies”.

The listed entities are accused of acting “contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States”, with some reportedly supplying to already-sanctioned Chinese giants like Huawei and its chipmaking arm HiSilicon.

These measures follow a broader pattern of the US reinforcing export controls over tech products linked to defence applications and surveillance infrastructure.

Inspur and others face renewed bans

Six subsidiaries of Chinese cloud computing provider Inspur Group were included in the updated blacklist.

These had previously faced sanctions under the Biden administration in 2023.

Inspur’s recurring appearance on the list highlights Washington’s concerns about its potential role in facilitating access to restricted technologies.

The updated restrictions also extend to entities believed to be intermediaries or “transit points” in third countries.

These intermediaries are suspected of enabling Chinese firms to obtain banned items despite prior controls.

Analysts point out that Chinese companies have been using such third-party networks to acquire strategic US-made dual-use technologies that would otherwise be inaccessible.

US-China tensions tighten tech controls

The new round of sanctions comes amid worsening US-China tensions.

The Trump administration has ramped up tariffs and trade restrictions targeting China’s tech sector, particularly focusing on semiconductors, supercomputers, and AI chip development.

These efforts are part of the “small yard, high fence” policy, which aims to selectively isolate sensitive technologies with military implications while preserving general trade.

The Commerce Department confirmed that it will continue to enhance its tracking and tracing of unauthorised exports, especially those involving advanced semiconductors made by Nvidia and AMD.

This includes ongoing investigations into potential smuggling activities and circumvention of export controls via third-party suppliers.

The move also comes in the wake of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s rapid growth, which has popularised open-source, low-cost AI models.

These developments have challenged US tech firms by offering alternatives to their high-cost, proprietary systems, prompting Washington to reassess how its technologies are being adopted globally.

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Tesco share price has suffered a harsh reversal this month, erasing all the gains made earlier this year. After peaking at near 400p in February, the stock tumbled to a low of 320p, the lowest level since August 7 last year. This article explains why the TSCO stock has plunged and whether it is safe to buy the dip.

UK retail price war may hit Tesco margins and growth

The main reason why Tesco share price has crashed is that the market is bracing for price wars in the UK. These concerns jumped last week after Asda, the biggest retailer in the country announced huge price cuts. 

The company will cut prices by an average of 22% on over 1,500 products. This is a continuation of price cuts that started in January, which imply that it has slashed prices on almost 10,000 products. 

These price cuts are meant to boost its market share in the UK, which has slipped in the past few years. As such, odds are that other retailers like Tesco will also slash prices to match what Asda is offering.

Lower prices are good for shoppers, who will likely keep buying more. However, they will affect the retailers’ margins over time unless they use their scale to squeeze the suppliers. 

Analysts caution that Tesco will be one of the most affected by the price wars, which may push it to issue a more cautious guidance in its next results. Most importantly, there are concerns on whether the company will continue growing its market share. 

Tesco share price has also dropped after the company agreed to a 5.3% wage increase that will cost it over £180 million a year. 

Read more: Tesco share price is beating Walmart, Kroger, and Target

TSCO business is doing well

The most recent half-year results showd that the company’s business is booming. Its total revenue rose to £31.46 billion from £30.4 billion a year earlier. 

This growth was accompanied by high profits as the management took measures to slash its costs.  The company’s adjusted operating profit rose by 15.6% to £1.64 billion.

Tesco has also continued to grow its market share in the country. The market share figure rose by 62 basis points as Asda woes continued at the time. 

The management expects that its full-year operating profit will be about £2.9 billion, while the free cash flow will be between £1.4 billion and £1.8 billion. 

What next for the Tesco share price

The stock market is often driven by fear and greed, and in Tesco’s case, a sense of fear has prevailed. In most cases, the fear-driven sell-off is usually short-lived as the market tends to adjust to the new normal. 

Tesco has some positives that may propel its stock higher over time. It trades at a forward P/E ratio of 11.2,  making it a bargain for a market leader in its business. It is growing its margins, and most importantly, it has a dividend yield of about 4.5%, higher than the average yield of the FTSE 100 index.

Tesco share price analysis

TSCO chart by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the TSCO share price peaked at near 400p this year and then plunged after the Asda price cuts. It has now slipped below the crucial support level at 337p, its lowest level on November 12.

Tesco stock price has crashed below the 200-day and 50-day moving averages, a sign that bears are in control. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the Stochastic Oscillator have moved to the oversold level.

Therefore, the stock will likely bounce back in the coming months. If this happens, the next point to watch will be at 350p.

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Lloyds share price has done well in the past few months and is now hovering near its highest point in years. This rally has coincided with the ongoing surge of other UK banks. 

LLOY has jumped by about 50% in the last 12 months. It has continued to underperform other companies like NatWest, HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Barclays. NatWest has soared by over 90%, while Standard Chartered is up by 77%. This article conducts a technical analysis and explains whether the Lloyds share price has more room to grow.

Lloyds share price technical analysis

The weekly chart shows that the LLOY stock price has been in a strong uptrend, as we predicted. It jumped above the key resistance level at 61.42p, its highest point on December 9, 2019, and October last year. That was a big move that signaled that bulls had prevailed. 

The LLOY share price has remained above all moving averages, a sign that the momentum is continuing. In trend-following analysis, this performance is a sign that bulls are in control for now. 

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has continued rising, and recently moved above the overbought level. Similarly, the Percentage Price Oscillator (PPO) has remained above the zero line since February. The Awesome Oscillator has turned green. 

Therefore, there is a likelihood that the stock will continue its uptrend in the near term as bulls target the next key resistance level at 80p. More Lloyds stock gains will become invalid if the stock plunges below the support at 61.42p.

Lloyds Bank’s business is doing well

The Lloyds share price has surged this year because of the ongoing surge of European bank stocks this year. The Nasdaq Europe Bank Index, which tracks the biggest banks in the region, has soared to a record high. It has jumped by over 44% in the last 12 months.

These stocks have done well because of higher interest rates that helped to boost their earnings per share (EPS). Most of them have used the higher interest income to boost their dividends and share repurchases.

The most recent results showed that Lloyds Bank’s had a statutory profit after tax of about £4.5 billion, down from £5.5 billion a year earlier. The net income dropped by about 5% during the year. 

The decline, which the market received well, was because of higher impairment costs due to the motor insurance crisis. 

At the same time, Lloyds Bank’s net interest income dropped by 7% to £12.8 billion, while its other underlying income was £5.6 billion. 

Lloyds share price also jumped because of its strong FY’25 guidance. The company hopes that its net interest income will be about £13.5 billion, while the return on tangible equity will be 13.5%.

Lloyds Bank has also boosted its dividends and share buybacks. It paid an ordinary dividend of 3.17p a share last year, a 15% increase from a year earlier. It is also reducing its outstanding share count by boosting share buyback by up to £1.7 billion.

One way the company is doing this is by reducing its CET-1 ratio to 13% from 17.2% in 2021. It reduces the ratio by slashing the amount of money in its balance sheet. Even so, its ratio will be higher than other banks like Bank of America and Wells Fargo.

Read more: Analysts are bullish on Lloyds share price: should you?

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Corporate America is having a mixed performance this year as concerns about technology companies’ valuations remain. Stocks have also reacted to the highly hawkish actions of the Federal Reserve and Donald Trump’s tariffs. 

Some well-known companies have filed for bankruptcy this year as their cash burn accelerated. This article reviews some of the top names that have filed for bankruptcy protection and identifies others that may follow suit. These names include Canoo (GOEV), Fisker (FSR), Nikola (NKLA), 23andMe (ME), and Forever21.

Canoo (GOEV)

Canoo is one of the popular companies that filed for bankruptcy this year after running out of money. Unlike other firms, Canoo filed for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, where a company ceases to operate and its assets are sold off to pay creditors. This explains why Canoo’s website has gone dark. 

Canoo’s bankruptcy was easy to predict, as we warned in many articles: here, here, here, and here. Like other Tesla rivals, Canoo was burning so much cash in an unsustainable manner. As its stock crashed, it became impossible to raise cash by selling shares. The most recent Canoo news is that Anthony Aquilla, the CEO, was buying all its assets out of bankruptcy for $4 million in cash. 

Fisker (FSR)

Fisker is another company we’ve lost. It was a Tesla rival that filed for bankruptcy protection in 2024 as csh burn accelerated. 

Fisker’s bankruptcy situation was different than that of Canoo in that it was already manufacturing vehicles and selling them to customers. The challenge, however, was that shipping vehicles from Austria to the United States was a logistic nightmare that became too expensive to handle.

Fisker was also burning cash, suffered a brand reputation damage when MKBHD delivered a bad review, and also had an expensive recall.

Nikola (NKLA)

Nikola is another tech company that we’ve lost this year. Like with Fisker, we predicted Nikola’s bankruptcy, as you can read here, here, and here. Nikola filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which allows a company to negotiate and restructure its operations.

In many instances, companies often emerge from the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and thrive. However, in Nikola’s case, the chances of this happening are low because of the business the company is in.

Nikola manufactured hydrogen trucks that are more expensive than diesel ones, leading to low demand. Most importantly, there is no adequate infrastructure to support these vehicles in the US. This makes it difficult for any company to takeover the company as operating it will be more expensive.

23andMe (ME)

The most recent company to file for bankruptcy was 23andMe. Like the other companies, this bankruptcy was easy to predict, which we did here. The company has been going through major challenges in the past few years. It suffered a big hack that exposed data of millions of companies.

23andMe company had a core business problem: what to do after carrying out genetic testing. That’s because customers only do genetic testing once, and they don’t do the DNA testing again.

The company sought to grow its business in other areas. It wanted to become a leading player in data, where it sold its data to companies like those in the biotech industry. It also aimed to become a top player in research. All these initiatives were slow and expensive to implement. 

Forever21

Meanwhile, Forever21 also filed for bankruptcy in March. It cited its high debt load from between 10k and 25k creditors. Forever21 blamed its bankruptcy on the rising competition from the likes of Shein and Temu, and weak demand in the US. It noted that these firms were taking advantage of the de minimis exemption that helped them avoid paying taxes.

This is the second time that Forever21 has filed for bankruptcy protection, having done so in 2021. 

Potential bankruptcies

Other companies will likely file for bankruptcy in the next 12 to 24 months. The most notable of these firms that are burning cash fast are Mullen Automotive, Faraday Future, Workhorse Group, Wheels Up, Children’s Place, and Allbirds.

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As Nissan navigates a challenging period marked by declining sales and mounting competition, incoming CEO Ivan Espinosa is charting a bold course to revitalize the struggling automaker.

At the heart of his strategy is a commitment to dramatically reduce vehicle development time, a move intended to boost Nissan’s competitiveness and align its product lineup more closely with evolving customer preferences.

Espinosa, currently chief planning officer and set to take the helm on April 1st, acknowledges that Nissan’s current development timeline—approximately 55 months for a completely new vehicle—is a significant impediment.

“We are slow. This is one of the things we have to face,” Espinosa told reporters.

To address this, Espinosa is targeting a reduction in development time to just 37 months for the first car in a family of vehicles, with subsequent models taking as little as 30 months.

This accelerated pace is essential to ensuring that Nissan can respond quickly to changing market demands and capitalize on emerging trends.

Brand-oriented models: reclaiming Nissan’s identity

Espinosa, a two-decade company veteran, emphasizes the importance of refocusing Nissan’s priorities on developing vehicles that resonate with customers and capture the essence of the brand.

He envisions a lineup of “five or six brand-oriented models” that would be offered in as many markets as possible.

“Models like Patrol, models like the Z, probably the Leaf, you know, cars that are really describing what Nissan is about,” he said, highlighting the importance of iconic vehicles that embody Nissan’s core values and appeal to a wide range of customers.

Espinosa is stepping into the CEO role at a critical juncture for Nissan.

The company has cut its earnings estimates three times for the year ending this month, its debt rating has been reduced to “junk” status, and it risks losing its position as Japan’s No. 3 automaker to Suzuki.

Nissan sold 3.3 million vehicles worldwide last year, a small decline from 2023 but only one of many with sales down some 40% since 2017.

The competitive landscape is particularly challenging in China, where Nissan has been pushed to the sidelines by local brands such as BYD.

In the US, the company has struggled from its failure to launch hybrids and capitalize on an early lead in electric vehicles.

As part of its broader restructuring efforts, Nissan has announced plans to cut 9,000 jobs, reduce global capacity by 20%, close a plant in Thailand by June, and shut down two additional plants that have yet to be identified.

Espinosa said the company was considering additional measures.

New vehicles on the horizon

Despite the challenges, Nissan is moving forward with plans to introduce new vehicles in key markets.

In North America, the coming financial year will see the launch of a Leaf crossover—the third generation of the world’s first mass-market electric car—as well as its first plug-in hybrid, the Rogue SUV developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors.

The Leaf will also be sold in Japan and European markets in the next financial year.

In Europe, the automaker will begin sales of the electric Micra produced with alliance partner Renault before the year-end, Nissan said.

It will also introduce the new Leaf and a hybrid version of the Qashqai crossover in Europe in the coming financial yearand add an electric Juke to its lineup there in the year after.

Nissan also plans to start producing an electric SUV at its Canton, Mississippi plant late in the year beginning April 2027.

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