President Trump's Iran Warning Sparks Oil Supply Concerns, Affecting Asia-Pacific Markets
Asia-Pacific markets experienced a mixed opening as geopolitical tensions escalated following President Trump's warning to Iran. In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged Iran to 'get moving, FAST,' which heightened fears of potential disruptions in Middle East oil supplies. This led to a rise in oil prices, with Brent crude futures increasing by 1.34% to $110.72 per barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures climbing 1.75% to $107.26 per barrel. The market reaction was mixed, with Australia's S&P/ASX 200 falling by 0.76% and Japan's Nikkei 225 losing 0.2%, while the Topix index saw a slight gain. South Korea's Kospi and Kosdaq indices dropped by over 2%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures also indicated a decline. 
