Asia-Pacific markets opened on a firmer note, drawing cues from Wall Street and easing oil prices, with South Korea's KOSPI leading regional gains at +2.18%.

Regional market performance

The broader Asia-Pacific region saw positive momentum across major indices. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose +0.89%, while Australia's ASX 200 edged up +0.16%, reflecting a cautious but broadly upbeat start to the session.

The table below summarises the opening performance across the three key Asia-Pacific indices:

The session's positive tone was supported by cues from Wall Street and easing oil prices, both cited as contributing factors to the firmer open across the region.

Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed to lower, with US sanctions on Iran and escalating US-Canada trade tensions weighing on regional sentiment. The KOSPI led losses with a decline of 4.30%, while Australia's ASX 200 bucked the trend.

Market performance across the region

The divergence across Asia-Pacific indices reflected uneven investor response to the dual headwinds. South Korea's KOSPI bore the sharpest impact, while Japan's Nikkei 225 also traded in negative territory. Australia's benchmark index managed a modest gain.

The table below summarises opening moves across key Asia-Pacific indices:

Factors weighing on sentiment

Two developments shaped the cautious mood across markets. US sanctions on Iran introduced fresh uncertainty in energy and geopolitical risk calculations, while escalating trade tensions between the US and Canada added to concerns over North American trade flows and their broader economic implications for export-oriented Asian economies.

South Korea, with its heavy reliance on exports and global trade linkages, registered the steepest decline among the three indices. Japan's Nikkei 225 also retreated, reflecting sensitivity to global trade disruptions. Australia's ASX 200 managed to hold in positive territory, posting a gain of 0.33%, diverging from the broader regional trend.