US Imposes Fresh Iran Oil Sanctions Despite Progress on Ceasefire Talks 
Nikkei Hits Record High as AI Chip Stocks Power Japan Market Rally 
US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns 
Gold Prices Hold Near Record Levels as Inflation Concerns Offset Middle East Ceasefire Hopes 
Oil Prices Set for Sharp Weekly Losses as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ease Supply Concerns 
Gold Prices Slip as Stronger Dollar and Iran Peace Talk Uncertainty Weigh on Market 
Asian Stocks Rally as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Progress Lift Market Sentiment 
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 3.1% as Supermarket Price Pressures Ease in May 2026 
S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs as Iran Ceasefire Talks and AI Rally Boost Markets 
U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran as Trump Signals Peace Deal Uncertainty 
ECB’s Philip Lane Warns Middle East Conflict Could Keep Inflation Elevated 
Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets 
Oil Prices Fall as Markets Await U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Decision 
Asian Currencies Steady as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Hopes Weigh on Dollar 
Asian Markets Slide as New U.S. Strikes on Iran Spark Investor Caution 
Asian Markets Hold Steady Ahead of Major Tech Earnings; Japan’s Nikkei Climbs on Political Shifts
Japan’s Nikkei Gains Amid Political Changes
Japan's Nikkei 225 and TOPIX indexes stood out among Asian markets, rising 0.3% and 0.9%, respectively. This rise followed news that Japan's ruling coalition lost its majority, leading investors to bet on a potential halt to the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) interest rate hikes. Major gains were led by Nippon Paint Holdings, which surged 24% after announcing a U.S. acquisition.
Muted Trading Across Asia with a Focus on Tech Earnings
Broader Asian markets remained largely unchanged as investors anticipated upcoming earnings reports from U.S. tech giants. Key reports from Alphabet are due Tuesday, with Meta and Microsoft on Wednesday, and Apple and Amazon on Thursday. These earnings are expected to provide critical insights into the health of global markets.
Economic Data in Focus Across Asia
Australia’s ASX 200 saw a 0.5% gain ahead of inflation data due Wednesday. Meanwhile, China’s CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indexes fell slightly as investors awaited PMI data for October, likely to reflect on recent economic stimulus efforts by Beijing. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong gained 0.6% on tech buying, while South Korea’s KOSPI dipped 0.3%.
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