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Asian stocks were trading higher tracking Wall Street gains and oil fell on Tuesday as expectations rose over a possible second round of talks between the US and Iran to end West Asia conflict. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was up 2.4 per cent to 57,842.72. South Korea's Kospi jumped 3.4 per cent to 6,004.30. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.4 per cent to 25,759.75, while the Shanghai Composite index climbed 0.6 per cent to 4,010.45. China on Tuesday reported worse-than-expected export growth of 2.5 per cent in March for the first month since the Iran war began. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.3 per cent, and Taiwan's Taiex rose 2.2 per cent. Investors are still hopeful for a lasting de-escalation of the Iran war, which is in its seventh week, as the US and Iran are said to be weighing a second round of talks before a temporary ceasefire agreement expires next week. The US military on Monday began a blockade of Iranian ports as Washington steps up its pressure on Tehran, following ceasefire ...
Asian shares were mixed in cautious trading on Tuesday, as oil prices continued to surge ahead of a deadline that US President Donald Trump set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping traffic or risk its power plants and bridges being bombed. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 erased earlier gains to decline 0.2 per cent in morning trading to 53,310.30. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 1.5 per cent to 8,706.90. South Korea's Kospi was little changed, inching down less than 0.1 per cent to 5,445.80. The Shanghai Composite edged up 0.4 per cent to 3,896.98. Trading was closed in Hong Kong for a holiday. On Wall Street, stock prices drifted higher, with the S&P 500 rising 0.4 per cent, coming off its first winning week in the last six. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 165 points, or 0.4 per cent, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.5 per cent. In energy trading, benchmark US crude jumped USD 2.37 to USD 114.78 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, added .
Asian markets that were open for trading mostly rose Monday, as investors continued to closely watch the war in Iran, soaring oil prices and what President Donald Trump might say next. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose nearly 1.1 per cent to 53,692.42 in morning trading. South Korea's Kospi gained 1.5 per cent to 5,460.24. Trading was closed in Australia for Easter, and in Hong Kong and Shanghai for a traditional Chinese holiday. The Tuesday deadline Trump has given for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz is looming. Some analyst fear the war may escalate after that. Over the weekend Trump made more threats against Iran, even as the bombing continued in the region. The United States rescued two aviators whose fighter jet was shot down by Iran. The key market focus continues to be on oil prices. Benchmark US crude gained 38 cents to USD 111.92 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, added USD 1.71 to USD 110.74 a barrel. Energy markets were closed Friday, but the prices ha
Asian benchmarks mostly rebounded Tuesday, echoing cautious relief that swept through Wall Street after President Donald Trump said the United States has talked with Iran about a possible end to their war. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 1.1 per cent in morning trading to 52,093.02, recovering some of the losses it suffered the previous day. Toyota Motor Corp's stock price gained 1.1 per cent in morning trading after it announced overnight that it was investing USD 1 billion in its Kentucky and Indiana auto plants. That's part of a plan to invest up to USD 10 billion in the US over the next five years that the Japanese automaker announced in November. Japanese manufacturers have been eager to show their contribution to American jobs and economic growth. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.5 per cent to 8,404.00. South Korea's Kospi jumped 2.2 per cent to 5,526.24. Global markets have been on a roller coaster ride over worries about the war in Iran, which began in late February, ...
Shares retreated Thursday in Asia after stocks on Wall Street slumped as oil prices spiked at more than USD 110 a barrel. US stocks also sagged due to a report that said inflation was primed to worsen even before the war with Iran sent oil and gas prices spiking. That, and comments from the head of the Federal Reserve, led investors to expect there's less chance of getting the lower interest rates that they love. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 2.5 per cent to 53,875.94 and the Kospi in South Korea lost 1.3 per cent to 5,845.62. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng slipped 0.2 per cent to 25,725.77, while the Shanghai Composite index shed 0.9 per to 4,027.73. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 8,504.20 and Taiwan's Taiex fell 1.2 per cent. Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at USD 111.24 a barrel, up 3.6 per cent from a day earlier. US benchmark crude oil gained 0.8 per cent to USD 96.80 a barrel. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 fell 1.4 per cent and flipped to a loss for the week so ...