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Global markets rose on Wednesday, while oil prices fell, as investors awaited signs of a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Global stocks rose on Wednesday while oil prices fell as markets looked for signals whether a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran will be extended.
The pan-European STOXX index rose 0.3%, following gains in Asian markets, where Japanese and South Korean shares hit record highs, supported by optimism about artificial intelligence. The MSCI All-Country World Index also added 0.2%.
Iran said Tuesday that the US strikes constituted a "serious violation" of a ceasefire in place for nearly seven weeks. The US said the strikes were defensive in nature.
“A deal may not yet be as close as hoped over the weekend,” Deutsche Bank analysts wrote, adding that “however, talks appear to remain on track, despite targeted US attacks.”
Market sentiment remained fragile as talks continued aimed at a lasting end to the three-month dispute that has rocked energy markets. Investors also watched as central bankers weighed in on the impact of the crisis on inflation and interest rates.
In Asia, shares in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, rose for the fifth consecutive day, reaching a record high with a gain of 1.1%.
Japan's Nikkei index rose 0.5%, trading above 66,000 for the first time. South Korea's KOSPI also hit a record, up 3.4%, while chipmaker SK Hynix surpassed the $1 trillion market cap for the first time.
The dollar, considered a safe haven currency in times of uncertainty, held onto gains from the previous session. US stock futures rose slightly.
Meanwhile, US crude fell 2% to $92.04 a barrel, while Brent lost 1.5% to $98.07 a barrel, after a rise of almost 4% in the previous session, driven by the new US attacks.
In foreign exchange, the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was almost unchanged at 99.07. The yen traded near 159.29 per dollar, close to the May low that prompted Japanese authorities to intervene in the foreign exchange market.
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda took a more hawkish stance on Wednesday, warning that the hit to oil prices from the war could weigh on an environment of high inflation expectations and wage growth. A day earlier, European Central Bank board member Isabel Schnabel backed a June interest rate hike even if a U.S.-Iran peace deal is reached.
The euro rose 0.2% to $1.16. The New Zealand dollar strengthened 0.7% to $0.5878 after the central bank kept interest rates unchanged but signaled they could rise sooner.
In the bond market, the yield on 10-year US bonds fell by 1.8 basis points to 4.473%, the third consecutive day of decline and the lowest level since May 14.
On a day of scant economic data, markets are awaiting the release on Thursday of the personal consumption expenditures index, the Federal Reserve's preferred indicator for measuring its 2% annual inflation target. /Adapted from Reuters /
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