Trump signals Iran de-escalation, lifting Asia-Pacific markets higher. President Trump indicated the U.S. and Iran are in active negotiations, stepping back from threats to target Iranian energy infrastructure. This comment sparked broad gains across the region Wednesday. South Korea's Kospi jumped 1.59%, Australia's ASX 200 rose 1.85%, Japan's Nikkei 225 surged 2.87%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 1.09%. The de-escalation sentiment also pressured oil prices, with Brent crude dropping 6% to $98.31 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate falling 5% to $87.65. U.S. stock futures responded positively, with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures each gaining 0.7%. Lower energy costs could ease inflation concerns and support corporate earnings across trade-dependent Asian economies that have faced headwinds from prolonged geopolitical tensions.
