Asia-Pacific stock markets are set to open lower as Iran-Israel conflict dents investor sentiment

Asia-Pacific stock markets are set to open lower as Iran-Israel conflict dents investor sentiment


View of the Skytree from Ueno and Asakusa in Tokyo

Jackal Pan | Moment | Getty Images

Asia-Pacific markets were set to fall Wednesday, as escalating tensions between Israel and Iran weigh on investor sentiment.

Adding fuel to fire, U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing a military strike on Iran, while demanding the country’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “surrender,” former and current U.S. officials told NBC News.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social, demanded “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” by Iran.

“Comments from President Trump have triggered speculation that the U.S. will get more involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel that escalated significantly five days ago,” ANZ analysts wrote in a note.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to open lower, with the futures contract in Chicago at 38,295 while its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 38,210, against the index’s Tuesday close of 38,536.74.

Investors are also awaiting Japan’s May trade data as it bears the brunt of U.S. tariffs.

Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index last traded at 23,813, pointing to a weaker open compared to the HSI’s last close of 23,980.30.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 is slated to start the day slightly lower with futures tied to the benchmark at 8,529 compared to its last close of 8,541.30.

U.S. stock futures inched lower as traders brace for the Federal Reserve’s rate decision due Wednesday afternoon stateside.

Overnight on Wall Street, all three major averages ended the trading day lower. the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 299.29 points, or 0.70%, to close at 42,215.80. The S&P 500 shed 0.84% to end at 5,982.72, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.91% and settled at 19,521.09.

— CNBC’s Sean Conlon and Brian Evans contributed to this report.



Source

VC behind ‘996’ work culture debate says 5-day weeks won’t build billion-dollar startups
World

VC behind ‘996’ work culture debate says 5-day weeks won’t build billion-dollar startups

Harry Stebbings, founder of 20VC, says billion-dollar firms aren’t built on five-day work weeks. 20VC Venture capitalist Harry Stebbings faced a wave of backlash in June after urging European startup founders to increase their work hours — but he now admits there’s some room for nuance when applying his mantra. Stebbings, founder of 20VC, a […]

Read More
Shein files for Hong Kong IPO in hopes of salvaging London listing: FT report
World

Shein files for Hong Kong IPO in hopes of salvaging London listing: FT report

A shopper carries bags with promotional merchandise while visiting fashion retailer Shein’s Christmas bus tour, in Manchester, Britain, December 13, 2024.  Temilade Adelaja | Reuters Online fast fashion giant Shein has confidentially filed for an initial public offering in Hong Kong in a bid to apply pressure on U.K. regulators and accelerate its long embattled […]

Read More
Jane Street to challenge India ban, says it engaged in basic arbitrage
World

Jane Street to challenge India ban, says it engaged in basic arbitrage

Jane Street has told staff it will contest a ban by India’s financial regulator which has accused the U.S. high-frequency trading giant of market manipulation. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Jane Street has told staff it will contest a ban by India’s financial regulator which has accused the U.S. high-frequency trading giant of market manipulation, adding that its practices […]

Read More