Asia Economy
Japan’s Sakura Internet jumps 20% as Microsoft plans $10 billion AI push with SoftBank
Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President Brad Smith (L) and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pose before their meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on April 3, 2026. Kazuhiro Nogi | Afp | Getty Images Shares of Sakura Internet surged as much as 20.2% Friday after Microsoft said it has begun discussions with the […]
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Asia-Pacific markets rise in Easter trade on hopes for Hormuz reopening
Asia-Pacific markets traded higher Friday, after news that Iran and Oman were drafting a protocol to “monitor transit” through the Strait of Hormuz raised hopes that the crucial waterway could partially reopen. Tanker traffic through the key oil-shipping route “should be supervised and coordinated” with the two countries, said Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister of […]
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CNBC Daily Open: Trump threatens to put Iran in ‘stone ages,’ dampening ceasefire hopes
U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledges those in attendance after speaking from the Cross Hall of the White House on April 1, 2026 in Washington, DC. Alex Brandon | Getty Images Hello, this is Dylan Butts writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open. U.S. President Donald Trump gave his highly […]
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Trump’s threat to hit Iran ‘extremely hard’ jolts Asian stocks, U.S. futures and oil
U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledges those in attendance after speaking from the Cross Hall of the White House on April 1, 2026 in Washington, DC. Alex Brandon | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. will hit Iran “extremely hard” over the next two or three weeks in a national address on Wednesday. “We’re going […]
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EV demand is getting a boost from the Iran war — just as auto giants pivot back to combustion engines
An electric vehicle (EV) is left to charge at a charging station in Tehran on February 23, 2026. Atta Kenare | Afp | Getty Images The sprawling Middle East crisis is expected to spur drivers to abandon traditional internal combustion engine vehicles in favor of EVs, analysts told CNBC, although early evidence suggests this will […]
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Indonesia earthquake damages buildings, triggers tsunami waves
TOPSHOT – Police officers look at a building of the North Sumatra’s National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) damaged following a severe 7.4-magnitude offshore quake in Manado, North Sulawesi on April 2, 2026. (Photo by Tonny Rarung / AFP via Getty Images) Tonny Rarung | Afp | Getty Images An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia’s Northern […]
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CNBC Daily Open: All eyes on Trump address as markets rise on ceasefire hopes
U.S. President Donald Trump attends to sign an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 31, 2026. Evan Vucci | Reuters Hello, this is Dylan Butts writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open. U.S. markets opened the second quarter in the green […]
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Asia-Pacific markets extend recovery as investors await Trump address on Iran war
An electronic quotation board displays the Nikkei 225 stock prices on the Tokyo stock Exchange in Tokyo on Nov. 5, 2025. Greg Baker | Afp | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets ticked higher on Thursday, tracking similar moves on Wall Street as investors await an address by Donald Trump later in the day amid hopes that […]
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Inside India newsletter: The worst might not be over for Indian equities
Hello, this is Priyanka Salve, writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to the latest edition of “Inside India“ — your one-stop destination for stories and developments from the world’s fastest growing large economy. Indian markets have been rattled by the Iran war, with foreign investors fleeing and valuations slipping to rare lows. But fund managers […]
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Large Japanese companies are more optimistic despite Iran conflict, but analysts say this may not last
The Shibuya pedestrian intersection in Tokyo, Japan. Marco Bottigelli | Moment | Getty Images Large Japanese manufacturers indicated their highest level of business optimism in over four years, despite uncertainties brought about from the Iran war. That’s according to the Bank of Japan’s quarterly Tankan survey, a closely-watched poll that measures business sentiment among domestic […]
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