Equity Alert
Markets in Asia gain despite renewed West Asia concerns
This story was originally published at 08:46 IST on 7 May 2026
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Equity Alert: Markets in Asia gain despite renewed West Asia concerns
MUMBAI--0830 IST--Equity indices in Asia gained Thursday, even as fresh concerns about the fragile peace deal resurfaced after US President Trump said Iran will be bombed "at a much higher level" if it doesn't agree to a peace deal. Brent Crude oil futures topped the $100 per barrel level again.
Equity markets in Japan reopened on a strong note after being closed for three public holidays. The benchmark Nikkei 225 touched an all-time-high, supported by gains in electronics and technology stocks. Shares of heavyweight Softbank Group Corp. surged as much as 15% intraday. Shares of Mitsui Kinzoku, Renesas Electronics, and Daikin Industries rose 8-15%.
On the macroeconomic front, the Bank of Japan, in the minutes of its recent monetary policy meeting, highlighted that the impact of the war in West Asia on Japan's economy would depend on how long the war continues and in what form it takes. The members pointed out that more information was needed for the central bank to revise the baseline scenario of its outlook. As for prices, the committee members expect inflationary pressure to persist due to high crude oil prices.
Meanwhile, the South Korean benchmark index KOSPI was up marginally after touching a fresh high Wednesday. The FTSE Singapore Strait Times and the S&P ASX 200 indices maintained gains from the previous trading session.
The following were the levels of major Asian indices at 0825 IST:
|
Index |
Level |
Change in % |
| CSI 300 Index | 4876.1219 | (-)0.02 |
| Hang Seng Index | 26580.81 | 1.40 |
| Nikkei 225 Day | 62915.87 | 5.72 |
| TOPIX FIRST SECTION | 3853.64 | 3.35 |
| KOSPI | 7414.09 | 0.40 |
| FTSE Singapore Strait Times | 4938.26 | 0.22 |
| S&P/ASX 200 INDEX | 8868.70 | 0.85 |
(Ruchira Kagita)
Equity Alert: S&P 500, NSDAQ notch fresh highs; tech stocks top gainers
MUMBAI--0745 IST--The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite touched new highs for the second consecutive session, driven by technology stocks and positive sentiment from reports that said the US is close to reaching an understanding with Iran to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
On the stock front, Advanced Micro Devices closed sharply higher. The stock closed nearly 19% higher after the management revised its guidance. The company sees the market for central processing units growing over 35% per year. The market is expected to cross $120 billion by the end of the decade. "Agents are really driving tremendous demand in the overall AI adoption cycle, and we're very excited to be in the middle of it," Lisa Su, chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices, told CNBC. Among technology stocks, other key buzzers were Micron Technology, Intel Corp., and Nvidia Corp.
Among stocks in focus on the back of earnings was Walt Disney Co. Shares of the entertainment giant gained over 7?ter its March quarter results beat estimates. New CEO Josh D'Amaro guided the company's earnings per share to grow 12% in 2026.
What could be a spoilsport for markets Thursday was US President Donald Trump's statement threatening intensified attacks on Iran if Tehran does not agree to the contours of the peace deal. Crude oil prices had slipped sharply Wednesday but have risen again after Trump's threats against Iran. Brent Crude oil futures were up over 5% from Wednesday's lows at nearly $101 per barrel. US futures, however, have shown a slight positive bias.
The following were the closing levels of major US indices on Wednesday:
|
US Indices |
Levels |
Change in % |
|
Dow Jones Industrial Average |
49910.59 | 1.24 |
|
NASDAQ Composite |
25838.943 | 2.02 |
|
S&P 500 |
7365.12 | 1.46 |
(Ruchira Kagita)
US$1 = INR 94.61
IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT
Edited by Saji George Titus
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