HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares were sharply higher Wednesday after U.S. stocks soared to their best day in almost a year on renewed hopes that the Iran war could soon end.
South Korea’s Kospi surged 6.4% to 5,374.82 in early trading, while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 4% to 53,128.33. A survey by Japan’s central bank released Wednesday showed business sentiment for major Japanese manufacturers improved despite Iran war worries.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 1.9% to 25,262.92, while the Shanghai Composite index was trading 1.4% higher at 3,944.35.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was up 1.7%. Taiwan's Taiex was up 4.3%.
The renewed optimism over a possible de-escalation of the Iran war, which is in its fifth week, came after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States will be done attacking Iran probably in two to three weeks, and that the U.S. “will not have anything to do with” what happens next in the Strait of Hormuz.
The White House said Trump will deliver a public address Wednesday evening on the Iran war.
Trump’s remarks came after he told U.S. allies to “go get your own oil” and blamed them for refusing to be more involved in its war effort. Significant maritime traffic disruption at the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through, has sent energy prices surging and is fueling global inflation.
Oil prices are back to rising after an earlier dip. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, was up 1.5% at $105.48 early Wednesday. Benchmark U.S. crude rose 1.3% to $102.73.
As the Iran war rattles global energy markets, on Tuesday, U.S. gas prices surged past an average of $4 a gallon, the first time since 2022.
Wall Street advanced on Tuesday. The S&P 500 jumped 2.9% for its largest gain since May to 6,528.52. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 2.5% to 46,341.51, and the Nasdaq composite leaped 3.8% to 21,590.63.
Shares of U.S. semiconductor company Marvell Technology spiked 12.8%, after Nvidia said it was investing $2 billion in the company. Nvidia jumped 5.6%.
Centessa Pharmaceuticals leaped 44%, following U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly's announcement that it was acquiring the company that's developing a new class of medicines that could treat excessive daytime sleepiness.
McCormick, the spice and flavorings company, fell 6.1% after confirmation that it was combing with Unilever’s food business.
In other dealings, gold prices rose 0.7% to $4,709.50 per ounce. The U.S. dollar fell to 158.69 Japanese yen from 158.72 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1568, up from $1.1553.
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AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed.
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