Asian stocks upbeat with Nikkei record high despite U.S.-Iran tensions
Business
Asian stock markets kicked off Monday on a surprisingly upbeat note, even as U.S.-Iran tensions made headlines.
Japan's Nikkei hit a record high, up 0.53%, and South Korea's Kospi jumped 1.5%.
Australia was the outlier, with its ASX 200 slipping by 0.54%.
Hang Seng and Gift Nifty steady
Hong Kong's Hang Seng futures nudged higher and India's Gift Nifty pointed to a positive start, both holding steady despite news of Iran seizing ships near the Strait of Hormuz and stalled U.S.-Iran talks.
Oil prices spiked nearly 2%, sending Brent crude to $107.49 per barrel as worries about the region grew.
Meanwhile, Wall Street wrapped up last week with new highs for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, though the Dow edged down slightly.