Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Friday following a volatile session, as the prospect of a peace deal in the Middle East remained murky amid contradictory messaging from the U.S. and Iran.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 dropped 230.58 points, or 0.4%, to 53,373.07
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng recovered 95.45 points, or 0.4%, to 24,951.88.
U.S. President Donald Trump extended his Friday deadline to attack Iran’s energy infrastructure by 10 days to April 6 to allow more time for negotiations.
The extension was at the request of the government of the Islamic Republic, Trump said, and it was granted in exchange for 10 oil tankers that passed through the Strait of Hormuz as a “present” from Tehran.
Washington has in recent days signaled it wants a negotiated end to the conflict and insisted that peace talks with the Islamic Republic had been ongoing. Tehran has denied that it is in direct talks with the U.S.
Iran reportedly rejected the 15-point proposal compiled by the U.S. and offered their own conditions, including a guarantee that the U.S. and Israel won’t resume their attacks on the country and recognition of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices fell amid easing tensions in the almost month-long conflict. The West Texas Intermediate for May delivery dropped 1.8% to $92.82 per barrel as of 8:30 p.m. ET, while international benchmark Brent crude oil futures fell 1.92% to $105.9 a barrel.
CHINA
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 obtained 25.04 points, or 0.6%, to 4,502.57.
China’s industrial profits jumped 15.2% from a year earlier in the January-February period, the National Bureau of Statistics data showed Friday, extending a sharp rebound from a 5.3% jump in December.
In other markets
In Korea, the Kospi index hesitated 21.59 points, or 0.4%, to 5,438.87.
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index regained 10.42 points, or 0.4%, to 4,898.18
In Taiwan, the Taiex index sank 225.03 points, or 0.7%, to 33,112.59.
In Australia, the ASX removed 9.44 points, or 0.1%, to 8,516.28.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 tailed off 41.6 points, or 0.3%, to 12,935.39
