U.S.-Iran negotiations boost Asia-Pacific stock markets; South Korean stocks surge 6%, triggering a circuit breaker at one point, SoftBank jumps nearly 20%.

``` Trump Claims U.S.-Iran Talks Enter Final Stage, Boosting Asia-Pacific Stocks on Thursday; Oil Prices Slightly Rebound After Heavy Drop the Previous Day. Wallstreetcn mentions that U.S. President Trump stated U.S.-Iran negotiations have entered the "final stage." The easing of geopolitical tensions led to a sharp drop in international oil prices overnight, which in turn eased inflation risks caused by high oil prices. This led the market to lower its bets on a Fed rate hike before the end of the year. Buoyed by this optimism, Asia-Pacific stock markets followed the strong rebound in U.S. stocks overnight, and yields on government bonds in many countries fell. However, U.S. stock index futures weakened slightly due to Nvidia's decline after hours and market caution. Below are the performances of core assets: - KOSPI in Korea rose about 6%, once triggering a circuit breaker mechanism; Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped over 3%, and SoftBank's share price soared 20%. - S&P 500 index futures fell about 0.4%, Nasdaq 100 index futures fell 0.5%. Nvidia’s quarterly outlook exceeded expectations but failed to boost sentiment after hours. - Brent crude slightly rebounded to about $105.60 per barrel after falling more than 5% on Wednesday. - The yield on Japan’s 30-year government bond fell 8.5 bps to 4.015%; 10-year yield also fell 4 bps to 2.745%. - Dollar index dipped 0.05%, holding above 99. The AUD/USD fell 0.25% after Australia’s weak April jobs data. - Spot gold rose 0.33% to $4,558. Spot silver rose 0.71% to $76.36. South Korea Leads, Samsung Labor Agreement Plays Key Role KOSPI became the most prominent market in the Asia-Pacific region, once rising over 6%. Samsung Electronics' share price jumped as much as 7% in one day after the company reached a last-minute agreement with its labor union, successfully avoiding a strike—a key catalyst for Korea's market rally. Due to the sharp surge, the Korean Exchange triggered a circuit breaker for a 5% rise in KOSPI 200 futures, halting program trading for five minutes. Japan also performed strongly, with the Nikkei 225 rising more than 3% and the TOPIX up 2%. According to reports citing sources, OpenAI is preparing to submit an IPO application in the coming weeks, targeting a listing this fall. Buoyed by IPO news from OPENAI and SB ENERGY, SoftBank's shares soared nearly 20% in a single day. Other Market Dynamics Falling oil prices eased inflation worries and traders reduced bets for a Fed rate hike this year, leading to a rebound in global sovereign bond prices from a recent sell-off. Japan’s 30-year government bond yield fell 8.5 bps to 4.015%. The 10-year yield fell 4.0 bps to 2.745%. The dollar index dipped 0.05%, holding above 99. AUD/USD fell 0.25% after Australia’s weak April jobs report. Traders slightly trimmed bets on a Fed rate hike this year, but the market still generally expects the Fed’s next move to be a hike. A weaker dollar lifted spot gold up 0.33% to $4,558. Spot silver rose 0.71% to $76.36. Risk Warning and Disclaimer The market has risks; investments need to be cautious. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account individual users’ special investment objectives, financial situations or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, views or conclusions herein fit their particular circumstances. Any investments made accordingly are at your own risk. ```