Japan\u2019s economy expands more than expected in second quarter despite U.S. tariff headwinds<\/p>\n
Japan’s economy expanded 0.3% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to the first three months of the year, as the country grappled with the volatile tariff policy out of the United States.<\/p>\n
This was compared to the revised\u00a00.1% growth seen in the first quarter<\/a>, and was higher than the 0.1% increase expected by economists polled by Reuters.<\/p>\n On a year-over-year basis, Japan’s GDP expanded 1.2% in the second quarter, falling short of the first quarter’s 1.8% growth.<\/p>\n The GDP reading comes as Japan struggled to cope with an uncertain trade environment in the second quarter, with the country only\u00a0reaching a trade deal with the U.S. on July 23<\/a>.<\/p>\n The deal sees Japan face a 15% blanket tariff on all exports to the U.S., including automobiles.<\/p>\n Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014Lim Hui Jie<\/p>\n Australia, Japan markets open higher<\/p>\n Asia-Pacific markets opened higher Friday.<\/p>\n Japan’s Nikkei 225<\/a>\u00a0benchmark rose 0.67%, while the broader Topix index added 0.99%, as of 8:08 a.m. Singapore time (8:08 p.m. ET Thursday).<\/p>\n Over in Australia, the S&P\/ASX 200 benchmark climbed 0.12%. <\/p>\n South Korea markets were closed for the holidays.<\/p>\n \u2014 Lee Ying Shan<\/p>\n Here are the opening calls for the day <\/p>\n Happy Friday from Singapore. Asia markets are set for a mixed open.<\/p>\n Australia’s S&P\/ASX 200<\/a> was set to start the day marginally lower with futures tied to the benchmark at 8,838, compared with the index’s last close of 8.873.8.<\/p>\n Japan’s Nikkei 225<\/a> was set to open higher, with the futures contract in Chicago at 42,795, while its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 42,770, against the index’s last close of 42,649.26.<\/p>\n Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index<\/a>\u00a0stood at 25,316, pointing to a weaker open compared with the HSI’s last close of 25,519.32.<\/p>\n South Korean markets were closed for a holiday.<\/p>\n \u2014 Lee Ying Shan<\/p>\n S&P 500 notches third record close in a row<\/p>\n The S&P 500<\/a> ticked higher on Thursday to eke out its third record close in a row.<\/p>\n The benchmark added 0.03%, closing at 6,468.54. The Nasdaq Composite<\/a> slipped 0.01%, finishing at 21,710.67. The Dow Jones Industrial Average<\/a> shed 11.01 points, or 0.02%, and settled at 44,911.26.<\/p>\n \u2014 Lisa Kailai Han<\/p>\n Economist Marc Sumerlin confirms he’s in the running for Fed chair<\/p>\n