Asian markets mixed: Seoul leads gains as tensions weigh and oil shock

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 ended the day up about 0.6%, settling around 55,600 points, supported mainly by technology and industrial stocks. The Chinese market also finished in positive territory: the Shanghai Composite closed at 4,133.43 points, up 0.25%, thanks to a moderate rebound in financial and industrial shares.

The strongest performance in the region was recorded in South Korea, where the Kospi gained about 1.4%, rising to 5,609.95 points. The Seoul index was driven by the semiconductor and technology sectors, which benefited from buying after the heavy sell-off of the previous days.

Hong Kong’s stock market moved in the opposite direction: the Hang Seng closed slightly lower, down 0.24% at 25,898.76 points, weighed down by weakness in property stocks and caution among international investors.

Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to weigh on market sentiment. The escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel, with the involvement of the United States, pushed crude oil prices higher, reigniting fears of a potential energy shock and renewed global inflationary pressures.

Concerns are particularly focused on the stability of energy routes in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial hub for global oil trade. Any disruption to supplies could have significant repercussions for Asian economies, which are heavily dependent on energy imports.

In this context, market participants are also watching upcoming U.S. macroeconomic data and signals from major central banks, which could influence expectations for interest rates and the trajectory of inflation in the coming months.

Andrea Pelucchi