Nikkei 225, Kospi, Hang Seng Index
Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour.
Yaorusheng | An | Getty Images
South Korean stocks hit a new record high on Monday, giving a mixed performance to Asia-Pacific markets as investors tracked uncertainty around U.S.-Iran talks after President Donald Trump said he was “in no rush” to reach a deal to end the conflict.
South Korea’s Kospi index gained 1.31%, while the small-cap Kosdaq lost 1.58%. Shares of Samsung Electronics rose more than 3% to an all-time high.
of japan Nikkei 225 Topix rose 0.17% while it fell 0.3%. in australia S&P/ASX 200 It lost 0.21%.
Shares of SoftBank Group rose 5 percent after the conglomerate announced on Sunday plans to invest 45 billion euros ($53 billion) over the next five years to build artificial intelligence infrastructure in France.
Hong Kong markets look set for a weaker open. futures Hang Seng index It was at 25,098, below the index’s last close of 25,182.39.
The United States and Iran still have not reached an agreement to end the conflict, Trump said in an interview with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, on Fox News on Saturday. He added that he was pushing for a deal that would ensure Iran never has nuclear weapons.
While he said he would prefer a quick solution, he emphasized that he was not rushing the negotiations and warned that military action could continue if the talks fail.
“I’d like to say I’m in a hurry because gas prices are going to come down, but if you’re in a hurry you can’t get a good deal,” Trump said. “And I think slowly but surely we’re getting what we want, and if we don’t get what we want, we’re going to end it a different way.”
U.S. stocks closed at record highs last Friday as crude oil prices fell on Wall Street, helping the major averages have a profitable month thanks to technology.
Nasdaq Composite increased by 0.2% to 26,972.62 points, and the S&P 500 index increased by 0.22% to 7,580.06 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 363.49 points, or 0.72%, to finish at 51,032.46. All three indexes hit all-time highs in early trading.
— CNBC’s Sarah Min and Lisa Kailah Han contributed to this report
