Asian automotive stocks remained under pressure Thursday as investors continued to digest former U.S. President Donald Trump’s hints at imposing aggressive tariffs on imported vehicles. Shares of Toyota, Honda, and Mazda all fell between 1.5% and 2.5%, reflecting growing anxiety over potential trade barriers.
Trump, who has long championed protectionist policies, recently reiterated his stance on penalizing foreign automakers to boost domestic production. Market experts caution that such moves could trigger retaliatory measures, further straining global trade.
“The auto sector is highly sensitive to trade policy shifts,” noted an analyst at Daiwa Capital Markets. “If tariffs rise significantly, Asian manufacturers may need to rethink their U.S. market strategies.” The sell-off contributed to a 2.1% drop in the Asia-Pacific Auto Index this week.
