Asian Stocks Rebound as Oil Prices Fall and Trump Signals Iran Conflict Resolution

Asian equity markets staged a strong recovery on Tuesday, driven by retreating oil prices and optimism following comments from U.S. President Donald Trump hinting that the conflict involving Iran may be approaching an end. The rebound came after a turbulent Monday session that rattled global markets.

South Korea's KOSPI led regional gains with a surge of more than 6%, reversing nearly all of the previous session's 6% decline. Japan's Nikkei 225 climbed close to 4% after shedding over 5% on Monday, with the broader TOPIX index posting a 3% advance. The sharp recoveries reflected renewed investor confidence as geopolitical risk sentiment improved.

Crude oil prices retreated to around $90 per barrel after briefly spiking near $120 per barrel on Monday, when fears over potential disruptions to Middle Eastern energy supplies sent shockwaves through global financial markets. The pullback in energy costs eased concerns about renewed inflationary pressures that could prompt central banks to delay anticipated interest rate cuts.

Adding to the positive momentum, China released stronger-than-expected trade figures for the January-February period. Exports jumped 21.8% year-over-year, significantly beating analyst forecasts, while imports rose nearly 20%, signaling healthy domestic demand. These results highlighted the resilience of the world's second-largest economy amid ongoing global trade uncertainties. China's Shanghai Composite edged up 0.4%, while the CSI 300 gained over 1% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.7%.

Broader regional markets also participated in the rally. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 1.3%, and Singapore's Straits Times Index climbed 1.5%. Meanwhile, U.S. stock futures pointed slightly lower, and India's Nifty 50 futures dipped 0.4%, suggesting some caution remained among investors watching for further geopolitical and macroeconomic developments.