Stocks surge, euro steady after US-EU trade agreement
The US struck a framework trade agreement with the European Union, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods – half the threatened rate, a week after agreeing to a similar trade deal with Japan.
Countries are scrambling to finalise trade deals ahead of an August 1 deadline set by US President Donald Trump, with talks between the US and China set for Monday in Stockholm amid expectations of another 90-day extension to the truce between the world's top two economies.
3 President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) following their meeting, in Turnberry, south west Scotland on July 27, 2025.
AFP via Getty Images
'A 15% tariff on European goods, forced purchases of US energy and military equipment and zero tariff retaliation by Europe, that's not negotiation, that's the art of the deal,' said Prashant Newnaha, senior Asia-Pacific rates strategist at TD Securities. 'A big win for the US.'
European futures surged more than 1%, while S&P 500 futures rose 0.5% and Nasdaq futures advanced 0.6%.
The euro strengthened across the board, rising against the dollar, sterling and yen.
'We have to be a bit cautious from here,' said Sim Moh Siong, currency strategist at Bank of Singapore, of the broader risk-on rally. 'A lot of good news is already in the price.'
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.32%, just shy of the almost four-year high it touched last week. Japan's Nikkei fell 1% after hitting a one-year high last week.
While the baseline 15% tariff will still be seen by many in Europe as too high, compared with Europe's initial hopes to secure a zero-for-zero tariff deal, it is better than the threatened 30% rate.
3 Currency traders work near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and the foreign exchange rate between US dollar and South Korean won, right, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, July 28, 2025.
AP
The US-EU deal provides clarity to companies and averts a bigger trade war between the two allies that account for almost a third of global trade.
'A major tail-risk has now been defused,' said Marc Velan, head of investments at Lucerne Asset Management in Singapore.
'Markets are interpreting this as a sign of stability and predictability returning to trade policy,' he added. 'The China delay fits the same pattern: the administration is opting for controlled diplomacy over confrontation.'
3 The US struck a framework trade agreement with the European Union, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods – half the threatened rate, a week after agreeing to a similar trade deal with Japan.
AP
Gains for China's blue-chip stocks petered out towards the midday break, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.5%.
The Australian dollar , often seen as a proxy for risk appetite, was at $0.657, hovering around the near eight-month peak scaled last week.
FED, BOJ AWAIT
In an action-packed week, investors will watch out for the monetary policy meetings from the Fed and the BOJ as well as the monthly US employment report and earnings from megacap companies Apple, Microsoft and Amazon.
While the Fed and the BOJ are expected to maintain rates, comments from the officials will be crucial for investors to gauge the interest rate path. The trade deal with Japan has opened the door for the BOJ to raise rates again this year.
Meanwhile, the Fed is likely to be cautious on any rate cuts as officials seek more data to determine tariffs' impact on inflation before they ease rates further.
But tensions between the White House and the central bank over monetary policy have increased, with Trump repeatedly lashing out at Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting rates. Two of the Fed Board's Trump appointees have articulated reasons for supporting a rate cut this month.
In commodities, oil prices rose after the US-EU trade agreement. Brent crude futures and US West Texas Intermediate crude both rose 0.5%.
Gold prices fell on Monday to their lowest in nearly two weeks on reduced appetite for safe havens.
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