JCI Opens Down 1.64% to 5,995 as Asia-Pacific Markets and Wall Street Rise

Jakarta – The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) opened down 99 points, 1.64%, at 5,995 at the opening of trade on Thursday, 21 May 2026. Fanny Suherman, Head of Retail Research at BNI Sekuritas, predicted that the JCI could experience a short-term technical rebound if it holds around the 6,000 level. She noted that global stock markets were mixed on Thursday, supported by easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and positive momentum in the technology sector after earnings projections beat expectations. The largest gains were in South Korea, with the KOSPI jumping more than 8%, following several tankers crossing the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns about global energy supply. The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 3.14%, although manufacturing activity data showed a slowdown; Japanese exports rose 14.8% year-on-year in April. In Australia, the ASX 200 advanced 1.5%, though services activity cooled to 47.7 in May from 50.7 previously. “Support for the JCI is at 5,900-6,000, while resistance is in the 6,120-6,170 range,” Suherman noted. Wall Street closed slightly higher on Thursday as oil prices fell and hopes for progress in U.S.–Iran talks rose. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.55%, the S&P 500 gained 0.17%, and the Nasdaq Composite edged up 0.09%. Market participants welcomed the latest developments in the U.S.–Iran talks, although key issues remain unresolved, including differences over Iran’s uranium enrichment programme and the monitoring of the Hormuz Strait, a crucial conduit for global oil distribution. On the corporate front, Walmart shares fell 7.3% after the company projected Q2-2026 earnings below market expectations. Nvidia shares slipped 1.8% due to profit-taking, though the company had earlier issued strong revenue guidance and announced a buyback programme worth US$80 billion.