China stocks were poised for the worst one-session loss in more than two years, as Asian stock markets plunged Monday on fears trade negotiations between the U.S. and China were on the verge of collapse.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump tweeted that he would raise tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods from 10% to 25% this week, apparently taking Chinese officials by surprise. In response, China may withdraw from the next round of trade talks scheduled to begin Wednesday in Washington. U.S. officials had indicated progress had been made at talks last week in Beijing, and said it was possible a deal could be reached by the end of this week.
But the sudden hard line by Trump spooked investors. U.S. stock market futures sank, with Dow Jones Industrial Average futures YMM9, -1.97% , S&P 500 futures ESM9, -1.89% and Nasdaq Composite futures NQM9, -2.21% all falling around 2% by Sunday and into Monday.
The worst losses in Asia were seen in China, with the Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, -5.58% dropping 5.7%, putting it on track for the biggest one-day fall since February 2016, according to The Wall Street Journal. The smaller-cap Shenzhen Composite 399106, -6.76% plunged about 7%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index HSI, -3.31% fell over 3%.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 XJO, -0.82% closed down 0.8%, Taiwan’s benchmark Y9999, -1.80% fell 1.8% and Singapore’s STI, -3.15% key index dropped 3.4%. Japan’s Nikkei and South Korea’s Kospi were closed for holidays.
The decline in Shanghai, which came after an extended market holiday last week, was led by port and shipping companies like Ningbo Zhoushan Port Co. 601018, -9.91% and China Merchants Energy Shipping Co. 601872, -10.08% , which both fell by close to the maximum 10% daily limit.
In Hong Kong, Geely Automotive 0175, -8.54% , food processor WH Group 0288, -7.40% and Apple supplier AAC Technologies 2018, -7.36% were among the biggest decliners. CSPC Pharmaceutical 1093, -6.18% and China Life Insurance 2628, -7.62% also sank. Apple manufacturer Foxconn 2354, -3.86% and Taiwan Semiconductor 2330, -2.26% dropped in Taiwan. In Australia, Beach Energy BPT, -3.22% and Westpac Banking WBC, -1.20% fell.
“Arguably, Trump’s threat to lift tariffs ‘shortly’ if Beijing does not play ball on U.S. trade demands, may be more a negotiations tactics than an imminent trade action,” Mizuho Bank said in a commentary. “Nonetheless, Trump’s tweet allusions to tariffs being ‘partially responsible for … great (U.S.) economic results’ does raise the threat of misguided trade policy” from the U.S, it said.
China’s offshore yuan fell sharply before regaining some ground to trade about 0.7% weaker at 6.7810 per dollar, its weakest point since February.
After posting a second straight losing week Friday, crude oil prices continued to fall Monday. U.S.-based West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery CLM9, -2.62% was down more than 2% and global benchmark July Brent crude LCON9, -2.46% fell by almost as much.
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