On Thursday, Japanese equities experienced an increase exceeding 5%, as the benchmark Nikkei 225 reached the milestone of 62,000 for the first time. This uptick occurred amidst a broader rally in Asia-Pacific markets, even in the face of escalating tensions in the Middle East. The wider regional progress followed President Donald Trump’s assertion that Iran would face bombing “at a much higher level” should it not reach a peace agreement. The Nikkei 225 experienced an increase of more than 5%, concluding the trading session at 62,833.84, driven by advancements in basic materials, technology, and financial sectors. Shares of index heavyweight Softbank experienced a surge exceeding 18%. Electronics company Ibiden exhibited remarkable performance, surging more than 22%.

Sumco Corp, a semiconductor company, experienced a notable increase of 19.74%, whereas Mitsui Kinzoku, a manufacturing and metals firm, saw a rise of 19%. The Topix experienced an increase of 3%, concluding the session at 3,840.49. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 experienced an increase of 0.96%, reaching a level of 8,878.1. South Korea’s Kospi increased by 1.43% to reach 7,490.05, whereas the small-cap Kosdaq Index experienced a decline of 0.91%, settling at 1,199.18. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index experienced an increase of 1.57%, whereas mainland China’s CSI 300 saw a modest rise of 0.48%, reaching 4,900.51.

Trump’s recent threats emerged concurrently with reports indicating that Washington and Tehran were approaching a potential agreement to conclude the conflict. The president stated in a Truth Social post that the U.S. military offensive referred to as Operation Epic Fury “will be at an end” if Iran “agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption.” Should such a scenario unfold, the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Gulf of Oman would “allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran,” as articulated by Trump. West Texas Intermediate futures for June increased by 0.92%, reaching a price of $95.95 per barrel as of 7:19 pm.

U.S. stock futures exhibited minimal variation. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures both experienced a decline of approximately 0.1%. Futures associated with the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 35 points, representing a decline of less than 0.1%. In the U.S. overnight, equities experienced an uptick in response to recent events in the Middle East. The S&P 500 advanced 1.46% to 7,365.12, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 2.02% and ended at 25,838.94. Both indexes reached new peaks and concluded at record levels. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 612.34 points, representing a rise of 1.24%, concluding the session at 49,910.59.