In Tokyo, Japan, the Nikkei 225 index closed up 1,151.24 points (1.65%) at 71,053.49 points. This was the first time in history that the index surpassed the 71,000-point mark at the end of a trading session, marking a six-day winning streak. During the trading session, the Nikkei index even briefly touched a record high of 71,398.58 points.
The expanded Topix index also rose 54.95 points (1.37%) to 4,068.18 points, setting new records both for intraday and closing gains.
Tokyo investors reacted enthusiastically after US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point agreement to end hostilities. This news was released shortly after the US market closed the previous night. The peace agreement also pushed US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices back to around $75 per barrel.
Masahiro Ichikawa, chief strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management, said the market breathed a sigh of relief as the two countries finally reached a formal agreement after a long wait. Similarly, Maki Sawada, an expert at Nomura Securities, emphasized that the market is now focusing on restoring normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz without customs fees.
Besides geopolitical factors, the Nikkei index was also boosted by the rise in technology stocks, following the US market after Intel Corp. announced the start of early production for its most advanced chip process.
Following the upward trend, in Seoul, the KOSPI index surged 199.6 points (2.25%) to close at 9,063.84 points, officially breaking the 9,000-point mark. During the day, the KOSPI reached a high of 9,106.07 points, extending its winning streak to six consecutive sessions.
Besides news of easing restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, South Korean stocks were also boosted by expectations for artificial intelligence (AI) and tight chip supply. Analyst Kim Seok-hwan from Mirae Asset Securities noted that semiconductor companies have a significant negotiating advantage.
Meanwhile in China, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 2.2% to 23,785.75 points, while the Shanghai Composite index dropped 0.4% to 4,090.48 points.
Meanwhile, the Israeli stock market continued its sharp decline in recent days as investors viewed the agreement between the US and Iran as an unfavorable development for Israel's security environment and strategic prospects. The TA-125 index fell 1.72% in trading on June 18 and has lost approximately 9.5% from its recent peak.
The TA-35 index of large-cap companies fell 1.54%, while the TA-90 index dropped 2.03%. Banking, real estate, insurance, and energy sectors were the hardest hit. The banking index has fallen 7.7% since the beginning of the month, while infrastructure and energy stocks have declined by more than 6%.
The US Federal Reserve (Fed) has just decided to keep interest rates unchanged for the fourth consecutive time, while signaling that monetary tightening over the next year is unavoidable in order to curb inflation. However, Asian investors appear to be little affected by this decision.
In the currency market, the US dollar traded within a narrow range, remaining above 160 yen/USD in Tokyo. Meanwhile, the South Korean won weakened, falling 13.7 won to close at 1,527.1 won/USD.
In Vietnam, the VN-Index rose 24.27 points (1.34%) to 1,830.47 points, while the HNX-Index increased 5.96 points (1.80%) to 336.16 points.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thi-truong-tien-te/chung-khoan-chau-a-lap-dinh-lich-su-20260618154754972.htm
