Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong.
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Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Wednesday as investors assessed recent US military actions in Iran, the fragile state of the Washington-Tehran ceasefire and optimism that a deal could still be reached.
Japanese Nikkei Stock Average The closing price was flat at 64,999.41, giving up its rise after hitting a new all-time high, with TOPIX falling 0.52%.
South Korea’s Kospi rose 2.52% to close at 8,228.7, while the small-cap Kosdaq fell 3.36% to 1,133.13. Samsung Electronics shares rose 2.68% after the South Korean company’s labor union approved a provisional wage agreement, averting a potential strike that could disrupt the global semiconductor supply chain.
In Australia, S&P/ASX 200 It rose 0.69% to close at 8,717.7.
hong kong Hang Seng Index It fell 1.03% in the first hour of trading, with the mainland’s CSI300 index down 0.79% to 4,908.53.
The U.S. military carried out what the Pentagon described as a “self-defense” strike in southern Iran early Tuesday, targeting a missile launch site and Iranian vessels said to be attempting to deploy sea mines, even as the U.S. government insisted it was still observing restraint under an ongoing ceasefire framework.
The military action highlights the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, which continues to test the limits of both sides despite negotiations that the White House says are nearing completion.
President Donald Trump said Monday that negotiations with Iran to end the war are “progressing well.” However, he warned that the United States could launch an offensive if negotiations break down.
A night on Wall Street S&P500 and Nasdaq Composite Technology-led stocks hit a new intraday high on Tuesday as traders assessed developments in the Middle East.
wide market S&P500 It rose 0.61% to close at 7,519.12, with many tech stocks. Nasdaq It rose 1.19% to 26,656.18. Both indexes also ended at record highs. of Dow Jones Industrial Average It lost 118.02 points (0.23%) and finished at 50,461.68. US stock markets were closed on Monday for a public holiday.
—CNBC’s Sean Conlon and Fred Imbert contributed to this report
