Asian Stocks Rally as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Progress Lift Market Sentiment 
Gold Prices Hold Near Record Levels as Inflation Concerns Offset Middle East Ceasefire Hopes 
Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Remain Unresolved as Strait of Hormuz Risks Keep Markets on Edge 
New World Screwworm Found Near U.S. Border Raises Threat to Cattle Industry and Beef Prices 
U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran as Trump Signals Peace Deal Uncertainty 
Oil Prices Jump After New U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Supply Concerns 
Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets 
Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
Asian Markets Slide as New U.S. Strikes on Iran Spark Investor Caution 
US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns 
South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs as Iran Ceasefire Talks and AI Rally Boost Markets 
Tokyo Inflation Cools in May, Supporting BOJ’s Cautious Rate Hike Path 
Nikkei Hits Record High as AI Chip Stocks Power Japan Market Rally 
US Imposes Fresh Iran Oil Sanctions Despite Progress on Ceasefire Talks 
European Stocks Rise as AI Optimism Offsets U.S.-Iran Tensions 
Asian markets were mostly subdued on Tuesday as investors assessed the fragile U.S.-China trade truce and growing concerns over renewed technology tensions. South Korea’s KOSPI led regional losses, retreating sharply after a record-setting rally, while investors in Australia awaited the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) latest interest rate decision.
On Wall Street, stocks ended mixed overnight, supported by gains in the tech sector following a $38 billion cloud partnership between Amazon and OpenAI. However, U.S. stock futures slipped slightly during Asian trading hours, signaling investor caution amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
Tensions resurfaced after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Nvidia’s next-generation Blackwell AI chips would be reserved for domestic use, effectively restricting exports to China. In a “60 Minutes” interview, Trump emphasized that these advanced chips would “stay in the U.S.,” highlighting the persistence of tech export curbs even after the recently agreed one-year trade truce. The move raised fresh concerns over potential supply-chain disruptions and the impact on China’s technology sector.
Following the Trump-Xi summit in South Korea, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng urged Washington to respect Beijing’s “red lines,” stressing that while the truce has “recalibrated” relations, tensions could easily reignite if issues such as Taiwan and human rights are challenged.
In regional markets, China’s CSI 300 slipped 0.5%, while the Shanghai Composite dipped 0.3%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was flat, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 was little changed after a holiday, though the TOPIX rose 0.4%. Singapore’s Straits Times Index edged down 0.2%, and India’s Nifty 50 futures also moved slightly lower.
Attention turned to the RBA, which was widely expected to keep rates unchanged at 3.60% amid sticky inflation. Investors are watching closely for signals on potential rate cuts in 2026 as global economic uncertainty lingers.
