On Thursday (30 April, 9:38 AM, GMT+7, Bangkok time), major indices in the Asia Pacific saw downward movements, echoing declines in major U.S. indices overnight. The continued rise in oil prices was a key factor for investors, as U.S. measures to block Iranian ports heightened concerns about potential disruptions to oil supply.
The negative sentiment across Asian equities followed media reports indicating that President Donald Trump had instructed officials to be ready for a prolonged blockade of Iranian ports. According to U.S. sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, these preparations for an extended blockade contribute to uncertainty over how long the restrictions might last.
In a related report, Axios noted that Trump has declined Iran’s offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that the U.S. will not ease the naval blockade until an agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear activities is reached.
The Federal Reserve opted to keep its main interest rate unchanged, highlighting sharp divisions among policymakers as they contend with persistent inflation and a forthcoming shift in leadership.
At the Federal Open Market Committee’s latest meeting—potentially Jerome Powell’s last as chair—members voted to maintain the federal funds rate within the 3.5% to 3.75% target range. Market participants had fully anticipated that rates would remain steady.
Following these, investors are awaiting policy announcements from the European Central Bank and the Bank of England. Additional U.S. economic data releases are also expected, providing further data points for markets to assess.
Japan’s NIKKEI dropped by 0.89% to 59,384.60. Australia’s ASX 200 slid by 0.10% to 8,678.20, while South Korea’s KOSPI surged by 0.39% to 6,716.84.
As for stocks in China, Shanghai’s SSEC shrank by 0.02% to 4,106.77. Shenzhen’s SZI decreased by 0.27% to 15,080.19, and Hong Kong’s HSI contracted by 0.86% to 25,886.16.
The U.S. stock markets edged down on Wednesday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) slumped by 0.57% to 48,861.81. S&P 500 dipped by 0.04% to 7,135.95, while NASDAQ climbed by 0.04% to 24,673.24. VIX jumped by 5.50% to 18.81.
As for commodities, oil prices settled higher on Wednesday, following stalled U.S.-Iran talks and U.S. government figures, which revealed larger-than-expected decreases in crude inventories. Brent crude futures for June delivery advanced $6.77, or 6.1%, reaching $118.03 per barrel, the highest level since March 31. Meanwhile, June-dated West Texas Intermediate futures finished $6.95 higher, up 7%, at $106.88 a barrel—the strongest close since April 7.
For the more active July contracts this morning, Brent futures gained $1.27 or 1.15% to $111.71 per barrel, and the WTI futures rose $1.21 or 1.21% to $101.32 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures increased by 0.52% to $4,585.00 per Troy ounce.
