{"id":21936,"date":"2026-01-27T11:49:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T11:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessprofittoday.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/27\/morning-brief-asian-stocks-rise-as-us-tariffs-hit-south-korea-micron-invests\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T11:49:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T11:49:49","slug":"morning-brief-asian-stocks-rise-as-us-tariffs-hit-south-korea-micron-invests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessprofittoday.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/27\/morning-brief-asian-stocks-rise-as-us-tariffs-hit-south-korea-micron-invests\/","title":{"rendered":"Morning brief: Asian stocks rise as US tariffs hit South Korea, Micron invests"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Asian markets advanced on Tuesday as investors balanced optimism around US mega-cap earnings with renewed uncertainty from President Donald Trump\u2019s latest tariff threats, while separate developments in semiconductors and technology highlighted shifting global investment and revenue strategies.<\/p>\n

Asian markets edge higher as earnings optimism offsets tariff worries<\/h2>\n

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. <\/p>\n

MSCI\u2019s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.18%, while Hong Kong\u2019s Hang Seng index gained 1.3%. <\/p>\n

Japan\u2019s Nikkei gained 0.7%.<\/p>\n

Markets appeared relatively resilient to Trump\u2019s announcement late Monday that he plans to raise tariffs on imports from South Korea to 25%, accusing the country\u2019s legislature of \u201cnot living up\u201d to its trade deal with Washington. <\/p>\n

The higher rate would apply to autos, lumber, pharmaceutical products, and other goods. South Korea\u2019s KOSPI reversed earlier losses to trade up 0.8%.<\/p>\n

In commodities, uncertainty boosted demand for safe havens. <\/p>\n

Gold climbed 1.4% to $5,080 an ounce, just below a recent record, while silver surged 6.4% to $110.60 an ounce. <\/p>\n

Christopher Louney, commodity strategist at RBC Capital Markets, said the rally reflected \u201cthe frenetic nature of uncertainty coupled with a weaker dollar.\u201d<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Micron to invest $24 billion in Singapore amid AI-driven demand<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Boise, Idaho-based company said it has broken ground on an advanced wafer fabrication facility within its existing NAND manufacturing complex in Singapore. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Micron said the new fab will help it \u201caddress growing market demand for NAND technology driven by the rapid expansion of AI and data-centric applications.\u201d <\/p>\n

The company already manufactures about 98% of its top-end NAND flash memory in Singapore, according to the country\u2019s Economic Development Board.<\/p>\n

The investment follows Micron\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Automakers weigh lifeline for bankrupt supplier First Brands<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

The structure would inject much-needed liquidity into First Brands, helping it continue operating through its Chapter 11 proceedings. <\/p>\n

While the deal is not yet finalized, one person described the talks as near the \u201cfinish line.\u201d<\/p>\n

The intervention highlights First Brands\u2019 importance to automotive supply chains. <\/p>\n

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\u2019s F-150 pickup. <\/p>\n

The F-series trucks account for nearly 40% of Ford\u2019s US sales.<\/p>\n

Meta tests paid subscriptions across its apps<\/h2>\n

In the technology sector, Meta Platforms is preparing to test new subscription models<\/a> across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, according to a report from TechCrunch confirmed by a Meta spokesperson.<\/p>\n

The company said the subscriptions are designed to \u201cunlock more productivity and creativity\u201d by offering exclusive features and expanded AI capabilities, while keeping core services free. <\/p>\n

Each app will have a distinct set of paid tools, and Meta said it will test a variety of bundles.<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

The subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified, which is aimed primarily at creators and businesses.<\/p>\n

The move could help Meta diversify revenue beyond advertising, though the company faces the challenge of subscription fatigue as consumers juggle multiple paid services. <\/p>\n

Meta said it plans to gather user feedback as it rolls out the subscriptions in the coming months.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The post Morning brief: Asian stocks rise as US tariffs hit South Korea, Micron invests<\/a> appeared first on Invezz<\/a><\/p>\n

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