Asian Stocks Decline on Inflation Fears and Soaring Yields

(CNA Hong Kong, 20th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) Soaring government bond yields, coupled with doubts about stubborn inflation that shook investor confidence, worsened market sentiment already pressured by US President Trump's renewed threat of military action against Iran, leading to a continued decline in Asian stock markets today. According to Agence France-Presse, the yield on the US 30-year Treasury bond climbed to a new high since 2007, and with the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq falling for a third consecutive trading day, regional stock markets followed Wall Street's trend to close in the red. The war in the Middle East has pushed up energy prices, fueling market concerns about inflation and triggering a sell-off in government bonds. Trump told reporters at the White House yesterday that after weeks of a fragile ceasefire and stalled peace talks, he was "one hour" away from reissuing an order for Washington to attack Iran but ultimately postponed the command. Iranian military spokesman Mohammad Akraminia warned that if the US resumes its attack, the Islamic Republic will "open a new front" against the United States. In South Korea, chip giant Samsung Electronics saw its union and management resume negotiations today after government intervention, following the union's threat to strike due to a breakdown in bonus talks. However, the strike threat, which would affect tens of thousands of employees, has alarmed the government, with officials warning that a prolonged labor dispute would impact exports, chip production, and overall economic growth. The market is also focusing on the upcoming earnings report from chip giant NVIDIA, as investors assess whether heavy investments in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers can deliver the expected returns. Japan's benchmark Nikkei index closed down 1.2% today at 59,804.41 points. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.6% to 25,651.12 points. The Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.2% to 4,162.18 points. As for other Asian markets, Taipei, Seoul, Sydney, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Wellington, and Manila all closed lower.