In today’s briefing:
- Ohayo Japan | Wall Street Hits Records on Strong GDP; Nvidia Slips, Fed Clash Intensifies
- Will 50% Tariffs Break India’s Export Edge?
- Japan Morning Connection: Tech Shakes off Initial Weakness with Talks of Blackwell Sales to China
- Property Sector a Winner in Japan Reflationary Era
- Asia Real Estate Tracker (28-Aug-2025): Schroders appoints Ando APAC Head amid Moore’s promotion.
- Indian Cement: Cost Headwinds Meet Robust Demand, Forging Pricing Power
Ohayo Japan | Wall Street Hits Records on Strong GDP; Nvidia Slips, Fed Clash Intensifies
- US equities set fresh records on strong GDP and resilient labour data, while Nvidia fell on China uncertainty and Fed–Trump tensions stirred investor focus.
- Mitsubishi Corporation announced that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway now holds 10.23% of its voting rights
- Nippon Steel will support US Steel with a ¥600 bn investment to build an electric furnace mill in the US, targeting operations after 2029.
Will 50% Tariffs Break India’s Export Edge?
- The United States has imposed a 50% reciprocal tariff on Indian exports, the highest among major Asian peers, significantly above China (30%) and Vietnam (20%).
- This could hamper 50-100 bps India’s GDP growth, strain sectors like textile, gems, and raise risks around FPI flows as US accounts for nearly 40% of India’s FPI assets.
- While India retains buffers through domestic absorption, trade diversification, and potential monetary easing, the tariff shock deepens trade uncertainty and capital flow sensitivity, warranting close investor monitoring.
Japan Morning Connection: Tech Shakes off Initial Weakness with Talks of Blackwell Sales to China
- Pure Storage surging 32% showcasing the growth potential for NAND as a viable and cost effective storage medium for AI/enterprise use. Watch Kioxia.
- HP up but its printing business not so good -however this could be a ‘bad is good’ scenario for Japan’s desperately in need of consolidation printer industry.
- Marvell getting hit hard after-hours may see ASIC related Socionext trade lower.
Property Sector a Winner in Japan Reflationary Era
- The BoJ’s reluctance to raise rates ensures negative real rates for longer
- Supply and Demand for both commercial and residential are skewed towards price rises in central Tokyo and other urban areas
- Property prices are at a big discount to other major developed countries
Asia Real Estate Tracker (28-Aug-2025): Schroders appoints Ando APAC Head amid Moore’s promotion.
- Schroders has appointed Ando, a former executive from Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, as head of Asia-Pacific operations.
- Moore is transitioning to the role of chairman at Schroders after leading the Asia-Pacific operations.
- CapitaLand Ascott Trust has invested $27 million in three rental housing properties in Japan.
Indian Cement: Cost Headwinds Meet Robust Demand, Forging Pricing Power
- Pan-India average cement prices have surged by 8% year-on-year to approximately Rs 360 per 50-kg bag, driven by escalating fuel and raw material costs, notably imported petcoke and gypsum.
- The price surge indicates a shift in the balance of power within the highly consolidated Indian cement sector.
- With input costs rising, companies are demonstrating newfound pricing power, a critical factor for protecting and expanding operating margins in an energy-intensive business.
💡 Before it’s here, it’s on Smartkarma
Sign Up for Free
The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network
- ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
- ✓ Personalised Alerts
- ✓ Custom Watchlists
- ✓ Company Data and News
- ✓ Events & Webinars
