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Market Commentary - Foreign Markets

Chinese shares end lower after a choppy session

07-Mar-2025, 02:35
Asian stocks retreated on Friday as investors grappled with geopolitical uncertainty and conflicting signals from the U.S. about Trump's levies.

Gold ticked higher as the U.S. dollar continued to retreat ahead of key U.S. employment data due later in the day.

Oil headed for its biggest weekly drop since October on demand concerns and fears of oversupply in the market.

Chinese shares ended lower after a choppy session as official data showed China's exports growth eased more than expected at the start of the year and imports logged an unexpected sharp decline amid mounting trade tensions.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite index dropped 0.25 percent to 3,372.55 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index closed 0.57 percent lower at 24,231.30.

China's exports grew at a slower pace of 2.3 percent annually in the January to February period, following a 10.7 percent rise in December, according to data from the customs office.

Imports declined 8.4 percent from a year ago, in contrast to the 1.0 percent increase registered in December.