European shares mostly fell and U.S. stock futures skidded Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap a 10 per cent extra tariff on imports from eight European countries because they oppose having America take control of Greenland.
Germany’s DAX lost 1.3 per cent to close at 24,960.33 and the CAC 40 in Paris fell 1.9 per cent to 8,101.96. Britain’s FTSE 100 declined 0.4 per cent to 10,190.26.
Among U.S stock futures, the S&P 500 was down 1 per cent as of 11:48 a.m. Eastern Time, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.8 per cent and the Nasdaq composite was down 1.2 per cent. U.S. stock markets are closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Trump said Saturday that he would charge a 10 per cent import tax starting in February on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland because of their opposition to American control of Greenland.
The European countries targeted by Trump blasted his threat to raise tariffs, saying they “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.” The unusually strong joint statement was the most forceful rebuke from the European allies since Trump returned to the White House almost a year ago.
Trump’s moves are testing the strategic alignment and institutional trust underlying support from Europe, the largest trading partner and provider of financing to the United States, Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.
“In a world where geopolitical cohesion within the Western alliance is no longer taken for granted, the willingness to recycle capital indefinitely into U.S. assets becomes less automatic. This is not a short-term liquidation story. It is a slow rebalancing story, and those are far more consequential,” Innes said.
In Asia, shares were mixed after China reported that its economy expanded at a 5 per cent annual pace in 2025, though it slowed in the last quarter. Strong exports, despite Trump’s higher tariffs on imports from China, helped to offset relatively weak domestic demand.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 1.1 per cent to 26,563.90. The Shanghai Composite index gained 0.3 per cent to 4,114.00.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.7 per cent to 53,583.57. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was due to hold a news conference later Monday as she prepares to dissolve the parliament for a snap election next month.
Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.3 per cent to 4,904.66, pushing further into record territory on strong gains for tech-related companies. Computer chip maker SK Hynix climbed 1.1 per cent.
Taiwan’s Taiex added 0.7 per cent, while the Sensex in India fell 0.6 per cent.
On Friday, stocks edged lower on Wall Street as the first week of corporate earnings season ended with markets trading near record levels.
The S&P 500 fell 0.1 per cent and the Dow industrials lost 0.2 per cent. The Nasdaq composite shed 0.1 per cent. They all notched weekly losses, while smaller company stocks fared better. The Russell 2000 eked out a 0.1 per cent gain.
Technology stocks were the strongest forces behind the market’s moves throughout most of the day. Several big technology stocks made strong gains and helped offset losses elsewhere.
Earnings updates might give investors a better sense of how consumers are spending their money and how businesses are faring with persisting inflation and higher tariffs. Results from the technology sector are being scrutinized by investors trying to figure out whether the high stock prices fueled by the craze around artificial intelligence are justified.
This week will bring a broader mix of earnings from airlines, industrial companies, and technology companies. United Airlines, 3M, and Intel are all scheduled to release their quarterly earnings results.
The U.S. central bank will get another update on inflation this week with the government’s release of the personal consumption expenditures price index, or PCE. It is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure for inflation.
The Fed’s next policy meeting is in two weeks, when it is expected to keep its current benchmark interest rate as it strives to balance a slowing jobs market with stubbornly high inflation, which remains above the Fed’s 2 per cent goal.
In other dealings Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil rose 12 cents to US$59.58 per barrel. Price moves have settled down after a spate of volatility during widespread protests in Iran against that country’s leadership.
Brent crude, the international standard, added 5 cents to US$64.17 a barrel.
The price of gold resumed its upward climb, gaining 1.8 per cent, while the price of silver jumped 6.2 per cent.
The U.S. dollar rose to 158.10 Japanese yen from 157.93 yen. The euro rose to US$1.1643 from US$1.1581.
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Elaine Kurtenbach, The Associated Press. AP Business Writer Alex Veiga contributed to this report.
