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Thailand’s SET index rose to 1,484.99, up 20.56 points or 1.40%. The move showed that Thai equities also benefited from the broad regional rebound as falling oil prices and the Iran ceasefire reduced immediate market stress. Compared with larger gains elsewhere in Asia, Thailand’s rally was solid but more moderate.

Possible Market Effect: If the broader regional rebound continues, Thai equities may remain supported, particularly in sectors that benefit from improved external sentiment and lower energy pressure.

Source: Market price snapshot

Malaysia’s KLCI moved higher to 1,693.18, gaining 16.32 points or 0.97%. While the advance was more modest than in some other Asian markets, it still reflected a positive response to the broader decline in oil-related geopolitical stress and the return of regional risk appetite.

Possible Market Effect: Continued stability in oil and geopolitics could help Malaysian equities hold a firmer tone, although the upside may remain more measured than in higher-beta regional markets.

Source: Market price snapshot

Indonesia’s equity market joined the regional rebound, with the IDX Composite rising to 7,207.16, up 236.13 points or 3.39%. The move reflected a broad improvement in Asian risk sentiment as falling oil prices and easing war tensions reduced some of the near-term macro pressure facing the region.

Possible Market Effect: If the relief rally continues, Indonesian equities may remain supported, particularly if lower oil prices help reduce imported cost pressures and improve regional sentiment.

Source: Market price snapshot

Indian equities moved sharply higher, with the Nifty 50 rising to 23,972.50, up 848.85 points or 3.67%. The strong move came as improving global risk sentiment and lower oil prices helped ease pressure on energy-importing markets. The rally also came with market focus on the Reserve Bank of India meeting later in the day, adding a domestic policy catalyst to the broader relief move.

Possible Market Effect: Lower oil prices are particularly supportive for India at the margin, because they can ease pressure on imported inflation and the external balance while helping risk sentiment around local equities.

Source: Market price snapshot

Australian equities rallied strongly as lower oil prices and easing Middle East tensions supported broader risk appetite. The S&P/ASX 200 rose to 8,957.60, gaining 228.80 points or 2.62%. The move pointed to a broad relief rally in the Australian market, with sentiment supported by the decline in geopolitical risk and the associated improvement in the global growth backdrop.

Possible Market Effect: A sustained drop in oil and a calmer geopolitical tone could remain supportive for Australian equities, particularly for domestic cyclicals and rate-sensitive sectors.

Source: Market price snapshot

Chinese equities also posted strong gains as the ceasefire-driven decline in oil prices improved the regional risk backdrop. The FTSE China 50 rose to 16,708.47, up 482.80 points or 2.98%. In the broader mainland market, the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 advanced 2.3%, while the Shanghai Composite rose 1.4%. The combined picture shows that investors responded positively to easing geopolitical pressure and the prospect of lower imported energy stress.

Possible Market Effect: Lower oil prices can improve sentiment toward China-sensitive assets at the margin, especially if investors see reduced pressure on growth, trade, and input costs.

Source: Market price snapshot

Hong Kong equities moved sharply higher as oil prices fell and broader risk sentiment improved after the Iran ceasefire news. In the latest market snapshot, the Hang Seng rose to 25,868.00, up 751.47 points or 2.99%. The move aligned with the broader rebound in China-linked risk assets and reflected a strong relief rally across regional equities as investors priced in lower near-term geopolitical stress and a reduced energy shock.

Possible Market Effect: If the ceasefire holds and oil remains under pressure, Hong Kong equities could stay supported in the near term, especially in cyclical and China-sensitive sectors.

Source: Market price snapshot

Asian equities saw a strong relief move, with South Korea’s KOSPI and Japan’s Nikkei 225 both rising by more than 5%, making them the strongest performers in the region. The rally was driven in large part by semiconductor and technology stocks after Samsung Electronics projected first-quarter 2026 sales of about 133 trillion won and operating profit of about 57.2 trillion won, signaling a sharp AI-driven rebound in the memory-chip cycle.

Samsung shares rose sharply and helped lift the wider Korean market, while SK Hynix also surged on expectations of stronger AI memory demand. Reuters reported that SK Hynix jumped 15% and Samsung gained 8.7% after Samsung’s guidance, underscoring how strongly investors are repricing the regional chip sector. The broader bounce was also helped by bargain buying after both Japan and South Korea had lagged in March, with the KOSPI having fallen more than 19% last month before the rebound.

Possible Market Effect: The move is supportive for Asian technology and semiconductor stocks in the near term, especially if investors continue to rotate back into AI-linked names. For South Korea in particular, stronger chip sentiment could keep supporting the KOSPI as long as earnings momentum in memory remains firm. This market-effect view is an inference based on the reported index move and semiconductor leadership.

Source: Reuters, Samsung Electronics

European equity markets moved sharply higher after President Donald Trump delayed planned strikes on Iran by two weeks, reinforcing the relief tone already seen across global risk assets. Reuters reported that the two-week ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran pushed oil sharply lower and lifted equities globally as investors priced in a reduced near-term risk of a wider energy shock and further escalation around the Strait of Hormuz.

In the latest market snapshot, the DAX rose to 24,293.5 (+5.16%), the Euro Stoxx 50 climbed to 5,858 (+5.23%), the CAC 40 advanced to 8,254.1 (+3.06%), and the FTSE 100 gained to 10,656.8 (+2.15%). The only notable exception was FTSE MIB, which stood at 44,737.00, down 0.48%. The price action points to a broad relief rally across Europe, although Italy lagged the wider regional rebound.

The macro message is that Europe is reacting positively to the easing in geopolitical stress, especially because lower oil prices reduce immediate pressure on inflation, energy imports, and growth-sensitive sectors. Reuters noted that global markets rallied after the ceasefire announcement, while analysts still warned that the truce remains fragile and markets could turn volatile again if diplomacy breaks down.

Possible Market Effect: If the ceasefire holds and oil remains below the recent war-driven highs, European equities could stay supported in the near term, particularly cyclical sectors and rate-sensitive names. But if the truce weakens, the current rebound may fade quickly and risk aversion could return.

Source: Reuters, market price snapshot

U.S. equity futures jumped sharply after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would postpone planned attacks on Iran by two weeks, following Pakistani mediation efforts. In the latest market snapshot, US 30 rose to 47,750.5 (+2.50%), US 500 climbed to 6,796.6 (+2.72%), US Tech 100 advanced to 25,018.2 (+3.37%), and Small Cap 2000 gained to 2,642.3 (+3.83%). At the same time, the S&P 500 VIX dropped to 22.03, down 11.79%, showing a clear easing in market fear and hedging demand.

The move signals a strong relief rally across U.S. risk assets as markets priced in lower near-term geopolitical escalation risk and a reduced threat of a deeper energy shock. Reuters reported that the two-week ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran triggered a broad global rally, with oil falling sharply and risk appetite improving across equities and currencies.

Possible Market Effect: If the ceasefire holds, equities could remain supported in the near term, especially growth and small-cap names, while lower volatility may encourage further risk-taking. But if the pause breaks down, the rebound could reverse quickly and the VIX may rise again.

Source: Reuters, market price snapshot

Samsung Electronics said its first-quarter 2026 operating profit is expected at approximately 57.2 trillion won, with revenue at about 133 trillion won. Based on Samsung’s own guidance, that compares with 6.69 trillion won in operating profit and 79.14 trillion won in revenue a year earlier, and with 20.07 trillion won in operating profit and 93.84 trillion won in revenue in the previous quarter.

The guidance points to a sharp recovery in Samsung’s semiconductor earnings base, with Reuters reporting that stronger pricing and demand for AI-related memory chips helped drive the jump. Samsung has not yet provided a detailed divisional breakdown and will release its full earnings results later this month.

Possible Market Effect: The guidance is supportive for sentiment toward Samsung, the broader memory-chip complex, and AI-linked semiconductor names, because it reinforces the view that pricing power and HBM-related demand remain strong. It may also improve expectations for peers exposed to the AI memory cycle.

Source: Samsung Electronics, Reuters

Asian equities delivered a mixed performance in thin holiday trading, as hopes around a potential 45-day ceasefire between the U.S., Iran, and regional mediators offered some support to sentiment, but did not remove broader geopolitical caution. In the latest market snapshot, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.45% to 8,704.10, South Korea’s KOSPI edged up 0.01% to 5,450.76, and Thailand’s SET gained 0.72% to 1,464.40. By contrast, Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.02% to 53,401.50, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.70% to 25,116.53, India’s Nifty 50 lost 0.44% to 22,867.70, FTSE China 50 dropped 0.75% to 16,225.67, Indonesia’s IDX Composite declined 0.29% to 6,969.16, and Malaysia’s KLCI fell 0.34% to 1,675.12. The CSE All-Share was unchanged in the snapshot.

The market tone suggests that ceasefire headlines helped limit downside pressure in parts of the region, especially in markets more responsive to relief trades, but the broader regional picture remained cautious rather than decisively risk-on. Reuters reported that investors were balancing diplomacy headlines against Iran’s resistance to an immediate truce and against the continuing threat of disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, while Investing.com also noted that optimism over ceasefire discussions helped some Asian markets outperform even as others lagged.

Possible Market Effect: If ceasefire expectations strengthen further, Asian equities could see a broader relief rebound, particularly in energy-importing markets that are highly sensitive to oil prices. But if negotiations stall or Hormuz risks intensify again, pressure is likely to remain on Hong Kong, China-linked, and broader risk-sensitive Asian indices. This is an inference based on the ceasefire reporting and the region’s current sensitivity to oil and geopolitical headlines.

Source: Reuters, Investing.com