Asian Stocks Fall Amid U.S. Presidential Race Uncertainty and Trade Tensions

Asian stocks largely declined on Wednesday, driven by uncertainties surrounding the U.S. presidential race and growing concerns over trade tensions. Chinese markets took a particularly sharp hit, with the Shanghai Composite and Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 indexes falling 0.8% and 0.2%, respectively, reaching seven-month lows. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index also dropped 1.5%, approaching a one-month low, amid U.S. legislative moves to restrict business ties with China.

The House of Representatives’ vote in favor of a bill targeting Chinese biotechnology companies has fueled fears of worsening U.S.-China relations, adding to ongoing trade tariff disputes and U.S. policy actions aimed at removing Hong Kong’s trade offices.

Japanese stocks also fell sharply, with the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX indexes both sliding over 1.6% following hawkish comments from Bank of Japan (BOJ) officials. BOJ member Junko Nakagawa suggested the central bank may continue to raise interest rates if inflation follows expectations, adding to market anxiety ahead of the BOJ’s upcoming meeting.

Broader Asian markets followed the trend, with South Korea’s KOSPI and Australia’s ASX 200 both down 0.2%. Futures for India’s Nifty 50 index pointed to a softer open, reflecting the cautious sentiment across the region.

The global market focus is also on U.S. inflation data due later in the day. The consumer price index (CPI) reading is expected to give further insight into the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision on interest rates, with a 25-basis point cut widely anticipated at next week’s Fed meeting. However, investors remain uncertain whether further easing is likely based on inflation trends and broader economic data.