Asia-Pacific Markets Mixed, US Indexes Hit Records
SkimNews Take
While U.S. markets are buoyed by tech, the regional divergence in Asia-Pacific reflects how geopolitical instability can override sector-specific optimism in geographically sensitive markets.
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- Asia-Pacific markets closed mixed Tuesday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 down 0.3% to 66,734.24 and the Topix down 0.42% to 3,924.24, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 2.41% and mainland China's CSI 300 gained 1.45% to 4,914.56.
- Trump told CNBC he "couldn't care less" about the outcome of U.S.-Iran negotiations, saying he was bored by the talks and that Iran had not signaled an end to talks.
- S&P 500 futures slipped 0.2% as war uncertainty persisted, with Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.3% and Dow Jones futures down 0.2% (122 points).
- Wall Street indices closed at record highs, with the S&P 500 up 0.26% to 7,599.96, Nasdaq Composite up 0.42% to 27,086.81, and Dow Jones up 0.09% to 51,078.88, helped by Nvidia's new PC chip launch.
- Oil prices rose, reflecting concerns that Iran might block the Strait of Hormuz, which contributed to market volatility.
Why it matters: Tech investors benefit from Nvidia's new PC chip launch that helped the S&P 500 rise 0.26%, while oil‑price spikes from Iran‑U.S. tension add pressure to Asian markets, which saw Japan's Nikkei fall 0.3%.
