Asian markets advanced on Tuesday as investors balanced optimism around US mega-cap earnings with renewed uncertainty from President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats, while separate developments in semiconductors and technology highlighted shifting global investment and revenue strategies.
Asian markets edge higher as earnings optimism offsets tariff worries
Asian shares posted modest gains as investors looked ahead to a heavy slate of earnings from US technology giants, even as trade tensions with South Korea limited broader risk appetite.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.18%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gained 1.3%.
Japan’s Nikkei gained 0.7%.
Markets appeared relatively resilient to Trump’s announcement late Monday that he plans to raise tariffs on imports from South Korea to 25%, accusing the country’s legislature of “not living up” to its trade deal with Washington.
The higher rate would apply to autos, lumber, pharmaceutical products, and other goods. South Korea’s KOSPI reversed earlier losses to trade up 0.8%.
In commodities, uncertainty boosted demand for safe havens.
Gold climbed 1.4% to $5,080 an ounce, just below a recent record, while silver surged 6.4% to $110.60 an ounce.
Christopher Louney, commodity strategist at RBC Capital Markets, said the rally reflected “the frenetic nature of uncertainty coupled with a weaker dollar.”
US equity futures were slightly higher, with Nasdaq futures up 0.6%, as investors prepared for earnings from major technology firms including Microsoft, Apple and Tesla.
Wall Street closed higher overnight for a fourth straight session, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting their highest levels in more than a week.
Micron to invest $24 billion in Singapore amid AI-driven demand
Separately, Micron Technology said it plans to invest about $24 billion in Singapore over the next decade as it expands manufacturing capacity to meet surging demand for memory chips driven by artificial intelligence.
The Boise, Idaho-based company said it has broken ground on an advanced wafer fabrication facility within its existing NAND manufacturing complex in Singapore.
The project represents a planned investment of 31 billion Singapore dollars ($24.41 billion), with wafer output expected to begin in the second half of 2028.
Micron said the new fab will help it “address growing market demand for NAND technology driven by the rapid expansion of AI and data-centric applications.”
The company already manufactures about 98% of its top-end NAND flash memory in Singapore, according to the country’s Economic Development Board.
The investment follows Micron’s earlier announcement of an advanced packaging facility for high-bandwidth memory at the same site, representing about $7 billion in spending through the end of the decade.
Micron has also recently raised its outlook for memory demand growth and announced plans to buy a Taiwanese chip-making site for $1.8 billion.
Automakers weigh lifeline for bankrupt supplier First Brands
Ford and General Motors are in advanced talks to provide a potential financial lifeline to First Brands Group, the bankrupt US car-parts maker, as it races to secure funding to keep operations running while it seeks a buyer, reported Financial Times.
According to the report, the two automakers are among a group of customers negotiating a short-term financing arrangement that would involve paying in advance for parts they are scheduled to receive.
The structure would inject much-needed liquidity into First Brands, helping it continue operating through its Chapter 11 proceedings.
While the deal is not yet finalized, one person described the talks as near the “finish line.”
The intervention highlights First Brands’ importance to automotive supply chains.
The Ohio-based company, which filed for bankruptcy in September with about $12 billion in debt, supplies key components to both Ford and GM, including windscreen wiper parts used in Ford’s F-150 pickup.
The F-series trucks account for nearly 40% of Ford’s US sales.
Meta tests paid subscriptions across its apps
In the technology sector, Meta Platforms is preparing to test new subscription models across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, according to a report from TechCrunch confirmed by a Meta spokesperson.
The company said the subscriptions are designed to “unlock more productivity and creativity” by offering exclusive features and expanded AI capabilities, while keeping core services free.
Each app will have a distinct set of paid tools, and Meta said it will test a variety of bundles.
A central part of the strategy involves scaling Manus, an AI agent platform Meta acquired in December for a reported $2 billion, and expanding access to AI-powered tools such as its Vibes short-form video experience.
The subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, which is aimed primarily at creators and businesses.
The move could help Meta diversify revenue beyond advertising, though the company faces the challenge of subscription fatigue as consumers juggle multiple paid services.
Meta said it plans to gather user feedback as it rolls out the subscriptions in the coming months.
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