On Friday (24 April, 9:27 AM, GMT+7, Bangkok time), most major indices in the Asia Pacific exhibited downward movements as traders took a cautious stance, even after Israel and Lebanon extended their ceasefire by an additional three weeks. Persistent geopolitical uncertainties continue to weigh on sentiment in the region.
The ceasefire extension followed discussions at the White House involving senior U.S. officials and was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, who referenced a positive development. This prolongation of the truce, which was initially intended to last ten days, affords negotiators extra time to pursue diplomatic progress. The United States has also committed to cooperating with Lebanon to bolster its defenses against Hezbollah.
Despite recent easing in risk premiums, investors remain vigilant, particularly given the potential for fluctuations depending on the trajectory of the Middle East tensions. Market focus remains on diplomatic signals from both the U.S. and Iran, as well as on developments in maritime shipping, which could influence global energy markets. Concerns persist that any interruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz may sustain elevated oil prices, creating headwinds for global economic performance.
Meanwhile, inflation data from Japan showed core consumer prices—excluding fresh food—rose by 1.8% in March, marking the first acceleration in five months. The reading matched the consensus forecast and exceeded February’s 1.6% pace, partly reflecting renewed uncertainty over international energy markets and the Middle East conflict.
Japan’s NIKKEI surged by 0.45% to 59,407.14. South Korea’s KOSPI climbed by 0.06% to 6,480.01, while Australia’s ASX 200 dropped by 0.27% to 8,770.00.
As for stocks in China, Shanghai’s SSEC fell by 0.60% to 4,068.64. Shenzhen’s SZI plummeted by 1.21% to 14,861.36, and Hong Kong’s HSI decreased by 0.70% to 25,732.54.
The U.S. stock markets edged down on Thursday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) declined by 0.36% to 49,310.32. NASDAQ lost 0.89% to 24,438.50, and S&P 500 contracted by 0.41% to 7,108.40. VIX rose by 2.06% to 19.31.
As for commodities, oil prices settled higher on Thursday as reports surfaced of air defense activity over Tehran and tensions within Iran’s political establishment intensified, particularly between hardline and moderate factions. Brent crude reached $105.07 per barrel, an increase of $3.16, or 3.1%. West Texas Intermediate settled at $95.85, marking a rise of $2.89, or 3.11%.
The upward momentum persisted into Friday morning as fears were heightened after Iran circulated footage of commandos seizing a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent futures increased $1.11 or 1.06% to $106.18 per barrel, and the WTI futures gained 97 cents or 1.01% to $96.82 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures slid by 0.26% to $4,711.50 per Troy ounce.
