South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets 
Oil Prices Set for Sharp Weekly Losses as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ease Supply Concerns 
Asian Stocks Rally as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Progress Lift Market Sentiment 
S&P 500 Hits Record High as Tech Rally Slows Amid Iran Peace Uncertainty 
Oil Prices Jump After New U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Supply Concerns 
Dollar Gains Slightly as U.S.-Iran Tensions Keep Forex Markets on Edge 
Asian Currencies Steady as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Hopes Weigh on Dollar 
Tokyo Inflation Cools in May, Supporting BOJ’s Cautious Rate Hike Path 
Mega IPOs Like SpaceX and OpenAI Could Reshape S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Portfolios in 2026 
Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
Canada and Germany Advance Major LNG Supply Partnership 
Gold Prices Slip as Stronger Dollar and Iran Peace Talk Uncertainty Weigh on Market 
U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran as Trump Signals Peace Deal Uncertainty 
US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns 
Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Remain Unresolved as Strait of Hormuz Risks Keep Markets on Edge 
ECB’s Philip Lane Warns Middle East Conflict Could Keep Inflation Elevated 
Asian stock markets traded mostly lower on Tuesday as investors weighed new U.S. diplomatic moves in the region and awaited key central bank decisions later this week. Wall Street’s major indexes hit record highs overnight, boosted by strong gains in the tech sector, while U.S. stock futures held steady during Asian trading hours.
In Tokyo, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, to discuss defense cooperation, trade, and a $550 billion U.S. investment package unveiled earlier this year. The plan targets joint projects in infrastructure, clean energy, and advanced technology. Despite optimism surrounding the meeting, Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.4% after reaching an all-time high of 50,549.60 points in the previous session, while the broader TOPIX index declined 0.6%.
Investor sentiment across Asia was supported by progress in U.S.-China trade relations. Negotiators in Kuala Lumpur finalized a draft framework to avert new tariffs, which will be reviewed later this week when Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. Both leaders are expected to finalize the deal’s details during the summit.
China’s Shanghai Composite and the blue-chip CSI 300 were little changed, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dipped 0.3%. South Korea’s KOSPI led regional losses, falling over 1% despite stronger-than-expected third-quarter GDP growth—the fastest pace in more than a year. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.4%, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained 0.6%, diverging from the broader regional trend. India’s Nifty 50 futures were mostly flat ahead of market open.
Attention now turns to major central bank decisions. The U.S. Federal Reserve began its two-day meeting Tuesday and is widely expected to cut rates by 25 basis points amid cooling inflation and labor market weakness. Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan is expected to maintain its current policy stance when it announces its decision Wednesday, as internal divisions remain but have not shifted the board’s majority outlook.
