Regional markets rise as Dow hits record; oil climbs amid Iran tensions

Asia-Pacific equities gained as Wall Street closed at a record high and Brent crude climbed to about $105 amid U.S.–Iran tensions after Trump blocked the Strait of Hormuz. Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 2.68% to 63,339.07 (Topix +1%), with core inflation cooling to 1.4% in April, easing BOJ rate-hike expectations. Korea’s Kospi +0.41% and Kosdaq up sharply, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng +1.03%, and China’s CSI 300 +1.26%; India’s Nifty 50 and Sensex also higher. U.S. 10-year yields eased to around 4.57% and the 30-year yield nudged lower. Moody’s warned that longer-term borrowing costs could rise due to defense spending and expansive AI/data-center investment, underscoring a still-challenging global financing backdrop.