Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.70%, Shanghai Composite up 0.02% Hang Seng up 0.20% ASX up 0.93%
- Commodities : Gold at $4,544.50 (-0.31%) Silver at $76.570 (-1.13%), Brent Oil at $109.98 (-1.97%), WTI Oil at $102.80 (-1.53%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.604, UK 10-year yield at 5.1090, Germany 10-year yield at 3.1614
News & Data:
- (EUR) Italian Trade Balance 4.71B to 5.25B expected
Markets Update:
Asia-Pacific markets opened mostly higher Tuesday as oil prices eased slightly after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed a planned military strike on Iran, calming investor concerns over an immediate escalation in the Middle East. Brent crude futures for July delivery fell 2.09% to $109.76 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude slipped 0.75% to $107.84 per barrel. Despite the pullback, oil prices remained elevated as tensions in the region persisted.
Investors also focused on Japan’s first-quarter GDP data, which showed the economy expanded at an annualized 2.1%, beating Reuters estimates of 1.7% and improving from 1.3% in the previous quarter. However, analysts noted the figures did not fully reflect the impact of the Iran conflict that began in late February. Japan’s Nikkei 225 erased earlier gains to trade slightly lower, while the Topix rose 0.61%.
South Korea’s Kospi dropped 3.86% and the Kosdaq fell 3.40% ahead of a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.89%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.26%. Meanwhile, Standard Chartered shares rose after the bank raised its long-term return targets and announced workforce reductions.
Upcoming Events:
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The post Tuesday 19th May 2026: Asia Markets Rise as Trump Delays Iran Strike, Oil Prices Ease first appeared on IC Your Trading Edge | Official Blog.