Asian markets settle higher on Wednesday
Crude oil prices crashed below $100 a barrel after the United States and Iran have agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire
Asian markets settled higher on Wednesday as Crude oil prices crashed below $100 a barrel after the United States and Iran have agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire to allow negotiations for a potential deal to end the war, during which shipping traffic will be allowed through the Strait of Hormuz. Lower energy costs improved the outlook for monetary easing and lifted investor confidence globally. South Korean shares and the won rebounded strongly as the Bank of Korea (BOK) reported a historic monthly current account surplus of $23.19 billion in February, driven by strong semiconductor exports and overall trade performance.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 3,995.00 | 104.83 | 2.69 |
| Hang Seng | 25,893.02 | 776.49 | 3.09 |
| Jakarta Composite | 7,279.21 | 308.18 | 4.43 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,696.31 | 19.45 | 1.16 |
| Nikkei 225 | 56,308.42 | 2,878.86 | 5.39 |
| Straits Times | 4,996.05 | 38.04 | 0.77 |
| KOSPI Composite | 5,872.34 | 377.56 | 6.87 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 34,761.38 | 1,531.56 | 4.61 |
