South Korea’s Kospi breaches 5,000 as Asia stocks rebound after Trump walks back on Europe tariff threats

South Korea’s Kospi breaches 5,000 as Asia stocks rebound after Trump walks back on Europe tariff threats


A Greenlandic flag flies over a residential house on Jan. 21, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland.

Sean Gallup | Getty Images

Asia-Pacific markets rebounded on Thursday, tracking gains on Wall Street after U.S. President Donald Trump walked back on his threats to impose tariffs on European countries over Greenland.

South Korea’s Kospi led gains in the region and briefly breached the 5,000 mark, rising 1.62%, with battery maker Samsung SDI soaring 13.27%, while conglomerate Doosan gained 9%, heavyweight Samsung Electronics climbed 3.14%. The small-cap Kosdaq index gained 1.43%.

Trump also said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he would not use force to acquire the Arctic island, calming nerves over a possible U.S. military action, adding that he had “formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland,” along with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up 1.07%, while the broad based Topix rose 0.79%. Japan saw its December trade figures released today, with the 5.1% export growth missing Reuters-polled analysts’ estimates.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.63% in early trade, having dropped about 0.4% in the previous session.

Hong Kong Hang Seng index futures were at 26,616, higher than the HSI’s last close of 26,585.06.



Source

‘Nobody’s going to believe him’: Trump’s Greenland ‘deal’ sparks relief — and confusion
World

‘Nobody’s going to believe him’: Trump’s Greenland ‘deal’ sparks relief — and confusion

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND – JANUARY 21: Delegates watch as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks onstage at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images Markets and some European leaders welcomed the news that U.S. President Donald Trump was standing down from imposing further […]

Read More
Newsom shows off knee pads for CEOs ‘selling out’ to the Trump administration
World

Newsom shows off knee pads for CEOs ‘selling out’ to the Trump administration

Gavin Newsom, governor of California, holding a knee pad during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Bloomberg | Getty Images California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday showed off knee pads that he suggested were for leaders “selling out” to the Trump administration. Speaking at the World Economic Forum […]

Read More
Trump signed his Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ into being. Here’s who’s on it — and who isn’t
World

Trump signed his Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ into being. Here’s who’s on it — and who isn’t

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND – JANUARY 21: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks onstage with President and CEO of the World Economic Forum Børge Brende at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a […]

Read More