This is CNBC’s live blog covering Asia-Pacific markets.
Asia-Pacific markets rose Monday, as investors assessed escalating Israel-Iran tensions and parsed a slew of data from China.
Oil prices jumped as Israel and Iran exchanged strikes, while gold prices rallied as investors sought refuge in the safe-haven metal. The attacks continued over the weekend.
Christian Gattiker, head of Research at Julius Baer, said that what’s important for investors is “not just whether the conflict continues, but whether it intensifies in scope or duration.”
The “market is unlikely to reprice beyond the initial risk premium,” without a rapid broadening, he explained. “Until then, it remains a tactical rather than strategic event, offering a good excuse for traders to take profits and reassess positioning,” Gattiker wrote in a Monday note.
China released its retail sales and industrial output figures for May. Retails sales jumped 6.4% from the previous year, while industrial output growth slowed to 5.8% year on year.
Mainland China’s CSI 300 index ended the day 0.25% higher at 3,873.80, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.7% to 24,060.99.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 climbed 1.26% to end the day at 38,311.33, while the broader Topix index advanced 0.75% to 2,777.13.
In South Korea, the Kospi index surged 1.8% to close at 2,946.66, while the small-cap Kosdaq increased by 1.09% to 777.26.
Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 ended the day flat at 8,548.40.
Meanwhile, India’s Nifty 50 rose 0.92%, while the BSE Sensex index was up 0.84% as at 1.50 p.m. local time.
U.S. equity futures moved up during Asia hours.
All three key benchmarks on Wall Street saw a major sell-off last Friday as the Israel-Iran attacks pushed energy prices higher and added another complication at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 769.83 points, or 1.79%, ending at 42,197.79. The S&P 500 dropped 1.13% to close at 5,976.97, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 1.30% and settled at 19,406.83.
— CNBC’s Pia Singh and Darla Mercado contributed to this report.
Advantest shares surge over 9.6% to near 4-month high
Shares in Advantest rallied 9.63% to close at 9,323 on Monday, its highest level since Feb. 21.
The Japanese chip-making equipment maker – one of the largest components of the Nikkei 225 share average – was the top performer on the index.
The 225-stock index reversed course from two sessions of losses to end the day 1.26% higher at 38,311.33, as a weaker yen boosted sentiment for export-oriented stocks.
Other top performing stocks on the index were Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which surged 4.66% and Mercari Inc which gained 4.56%.
— Amala Balakrishner
Asia-Pacific currencies mostly muted against the greenback
Asia-Pacific currencies on Monday were little changed against the greenback as investors assessed the impact of the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
The Japanese yen depreciated 0.03% against the dollar to 144.04, as the Bank of Japan kicked off its two-day policy meeting earlier in the day.
China’s offshore yuan appreciated 0.04% to 7.184 against the dollar, while the Australian dollar strengthened 0.14% at 0.6487.
The Indian rupee was also up marginally against the dollar at 86.048.
Meanwhile, the South Korean won appreciated 0.43% against the dollar to 1,361.10, as government authorities reportedly vowed to stabilize domestic markets, while the New Taiwan dollar gained 0.19% to 29.468.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the currency against six major rivals, was down 0.07% at 98.120 as of 1.40 p.m. Singapore time.
— Amala Balakrishner
Tata Group shares plunge over 5% after British subsidiary JLR slashes forecast
Shares in Tata Motors plunged as much as 5.49% Monday, extending its losses for the third consecutive session.
This follows reports that its wholly-owned subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover slashed its fiscal 2026 earnings before interest and taxes margin forecast to 5%-7% from 10% due to uncertainty on the impact of U.S. tariffs on the global automotive sector.
The British automaker’s move follows halted shipments to the U.S. for a month after President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on imports of foreign-made vehicles. This was a substantial blow to the company, which gets over a quarter of its sales from the U.S.
Tata Motors – which is also the parent of Air India since 2022 – saw its shares take a hit after the deadly plane crash last Thursday.
— Amala Balakrishner
Spot gold edges down after hitting near 2-month high earlier
Spot gold moved down Monday, reversing course from gains in three consecutive sessions when investors flocked to the safe-haven asset amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
As of 12.10 p.m. Singapore time, prices of the yellow metal were down 0.05% to $3,431.15, after briefly hitting its highest level since Apr. 22 earlier in the session.
The bullion — which is considered a hedge against political and financial instability — has risen 29.96% since the start of the year, according to LSEG data.
— Amala Balakrishner
Oil extends gains as escalating Israel-Iran tensions threaten supply
Oil prices continued to rise Monday as Israel-Iran tensions escalated over the weekend and threatened to dent the region’s supply.
Brent Crude was trading at $74.86 per barrel after rising 0.85%, as at 11.45 a.m. Singapore time.
Meanwhile, the West Texas Intermediate crude added 1.03% to $73.73.
The moves come as Israel struck two oil refineries in Iran, the world’s ninth-largest oil producer as of 2023 – raising the prospect of a broader assault on Iran’s heavily sanctioned energy industry.
— Amala Balakrishner
Santos shares soar over 15% on ADNOC-led group’s $18.7 billion takeover bid
Shares of Santos surged as much as 15.23% Monday, after it received a non-binding takeover offer of $18.72 billion by a consortium led by Abu Dhabi’s National Oil Company’s investment arm.
The move marks the biggest intraday jump in the Australian oil and gas producer’s shares since April 2020, LSEG data shows.
Read the full story, here.
— Amala Balakrishner
