Nikkei 225, Hang Seng Index, Kospi

Japanese and South Korean stocks hit record highs on Thursday, while gains in U.S. stocks lagged overnight after President Donald Trump’s extension of the ceasefire in Iran helped boost investor confidence; Upbeat earnings reports also boosted sentiment.

Trump extended the US ceasefire for another two weeks on Tuesday, saying it was necessary because Tehran’s government was “severely fragmented.”

“Based on the fact that the Iranian government is not unexpectedly but severely fractured, and at the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, we have been asked to continue our attack on the country of Iran until its leaders and representatives put forward a joint proposal,” Trump said. he said. Real Social post.

According to Trump, the ceasefire will be extended until Tehran submits an offer or the discussions are concluded, and the US military will continue the blockade of Iranian ports.

However, the timeline remains unclear. Iranian state media reported on Wednesday that Tehran negotiators would not participate in talks with the United States and that the talks were a “waste of time.” Iran’s lack of commitment reportedly caused Vice President J.D. Vance to pause his trip to participate in peace talks. Meanwhile, the Iranian navy announced that two container ships were seized in the Strait of Hormuz.

West Texas Intermediate futures rose 0.22% to $93.2 a barrel as of 8:34 PM ET. Brent crude oil rose 0.39% to $102.25 per barrel.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index hit an all-time high of 60,013.98, boosted by strong gains in technology stocks. Softbank Group Inc. While gaining over 6% Mitsubishi Industries It gained 1.86% in value.

South Korea’s Kospi index also rose 1.75% to an all-time high of 6,538.72. Small-cap Kosdaq was 0.58% higher. country economy It grew more than expected in the first three months of the year, recording the fastest growth since the third quarter of 2020.

The 1.7 percent growth in the January-March period compared to the previous quarter exceeded Reuters’ estimates 1.0% It recovered from the 0.2% contraction in the previous quarter.

While Japan’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.40%, the Topix index lost 0.16%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.56%.

Hong Kong Hang Seng index Futures were at 26,169 compared to the index’s last close of 26,163.24. The announcement of the city’s March inflation data will be closely watched by investors.

S&P 500 futures fell 0.1 percent Nasdaq 100 futures It was around the straight line. Futures tied to Dow Jones Industrial Average It fell 173 points, or 0.4%.

In the regular session on Wednesday, S&P 500 The technology-heavy index closed at 7,137.90, up 1.05%. Nasdaq It increased by 1.64% to 24,657.57. The latter had set a new all-time intraday high during the session.

Meanwhile, Dow Jones Industrial Average It closed the day at 49,490.03 with an increase of 340.65 points or 0.69%.

— CNBC’s Sean Conlon And Lisa Kailai Khan contributed to this report.