US stock markets experienced a decline on Thursday following President Donald Trump's announcement of potential additional tariffs on European Union imports. This move heightened economic uncertainty and investor concerns, contributing to fears of increased inflation and a potential economic slowdown. Despite some reassurance from inflation data, market sentiment remained cautious due to ongoing trade tensions and policy unpredictability. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by approximately 1% to close at 40 955.92, while the S&P 500 dropped by 1.05% to 5 539.98 and the Nasdaq Composite declined by 1.46% to 17 390.92.

In the Eurozone, markets concluded with a mixed performance. The STOXX 50 index rose by 0.52% to close at 4 603.80, while the STOXX 600 increased by 0.24% to 542.57. European shares initially gained but later trimmed these gains following President Trump's warning of tariffs on EU alcoholic products, exacerbating global trade tensions and leading to cautious investor sentiment.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index closed slightly lower at 36 790.03, with a decline of 0.08%, largely due to exporters facing challenges from a stronger yen, which rose to 148.20 per dollar after comments from Bank of Japan’s, Governor Kazuo Ueda, hinting at potential monetary tightening. The Hang Seng Index closed at 23 462.65, marking a decrease of 0.58% from its opening value.

South Africa faced political uncertainty as disagreements within the ruling coalition persisted, despite Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana scaling back proposed tax hikes in the revised budget. At 19h38 SAST, the rand traded at R18.32 against the dollar and R19.90 to the euro. Investor sentiment remained subdued due to concerns over fiscal drag and a lack of clarity on economic policy direction.

In the commodities market, gold prices rose by 2.14% to close at $2 979.50, while Brent crude oil prices fell by 1.09% to $70.18 per barrel. Agricultural commodities remained under scrutiny due to soybean supply tightness affecting global trade dynamics.