Asia-Pacific markets largely traded lower as former US President Donald Trump's pronouncements on defense firms and a slump in oil prices created market uncertainty. Trump's initial statements advocating for restrictions on dividends and stock buybacks at major defense contractors led to a dip in their share prices. However, some defense stocks saw a recovery as Trump also signaled a significant increase in US military spending. This created a mixed picture for the defense sector, with some companies experiencing volatility. Concurrently, oil prices experienced a decline, influenced by the geopolitical developments in Venezuela and broader concerns about global supply gluts. While the political situation in Venezuela and the US's involvement have raised questions, analysts suggest that Venezuela's current oil production capacity is unlikely to have a substantial short-term impact on global prices due to years of underinvestment and infrastructure issues. The market's reaction to Venezuela's oil situation was largely bearish, with fears that any potential release of Venezuelan oil would add to an already oversupplied market. This contributed to the overall downward pressure on crude futures. The confluence of these factors – Trump's pronouncements affecting defense stocks and the slide in oil prices due to geopolitical and supply concerns – resulted in a predominantly negative sentiment across Asia-Pacific markets. Trading was mixed, with some indices showing slight gains while others fell, reflecting the complex interplay of global economic and political events. The market remains sensitive to geopolitical risks and economic data releases, with investors closely watching for further developments.