Asian Stock Markets Rebound, Kospi Rises Nearly 5% and Nikkei 3%

Asian-Pacific stock markets rebounded in trading today, Wednesday (1 April 2026), as hopes emerged that the conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel would soon subside.

This positive sentiment was triggered by a statement from US President Donald Trump indicating the possibility of a troop withdrawal in the near future.

According to CNBC.com, in his statement on Tuesday local time, Trump said the United States could leave Iran in “two or three weeks”. He emphasised that the US has no reason to continue involvement in the conflict.

Oil prices also strengthened, with US crude oil contracts rising 0.44% to US$101.81 per barrel. This increase reflects expectations of easing geopolitical tensions that had previously pressured the global energy market.

In the Asian region, South Korea’s Kospi index led the strengthening with a nearly 5% surge at the start of trading. The small-cap Kosdaq stock index also rose 4.13%, driven by a 48.3% year-on-year surge in South Korean exports in March, exceeding market expectations.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index strengthened by 3.51% and the Topix rose 3.17%. Positive sentiment also came from the Tankan survey released by the Bank of Japan.

The survey showed that business optimism among large Japanese manufacturers rose to 17 from 15 previously. This figure exceeded economists’ expectations and is the highest since Q4-2021.

Meanwhile, Japan’s non-manufacturing sector also recorded a significant increase, with the index rising to 36 from 34 in the previous quarter. This achievement is the highest level in decades and exceeded market projections.

Australia’s market also strengthened, with the S&P/ASX 200 index rising 1.76%, driven by gains in education services sector stocks. In Hong Kong, Hang Seng index futures were at 25,191, higher than the previous close.

In the United States, the three major Wall Street indices recorded their best performance since May. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.49%, the S&P 500 strengthened 2.91%, and the Nasdaq Composite surged 3.83%.

This strengthening occurred after unconfirmed reports emerged that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is open to ending the war with certain guarantees. Hopes of de-escalating the conflict are driving global investor optimism.