Market expectations for a possible second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran are rising, boosting the optimistic sentiment in the global financial markets. On Tuesday, Asian stock markets generally rose, and international oil prices also fell below the $100 per barrel mark.
The Nikkei 225 index rose by 2.43% on Tuesday, closing at 57,877.39 points; the South Korean KOSPI index surged by 2.74%, closing at 5,967.75 points; and the Taiwan Weighted Index also rose by 2.37%, closing at 36,296.12 points, once again reaching a historic high.
China’s General Administration of Customs announced on Tuesday that export data for March grew by 2.5%, which was lower than market expectations, leading to a relatively weak performance in the stock markets in China and Hong Kong. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong edged up by 0.81%, closing at 25,868.10 points. The Shanghai Composite Index rose by 0.95%, closing at 4,026.61 points.
At the same time, Brent crude oil futures fell by 1.3% to $98.12 in early trading on Tuesday, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil also dropped by 2.2% to $96.92.
Investors are still hopeful for renewed U.S.-Iran negotiations, aiming to further alleviate tensions. According to media reports, both the U.S. and Iran are considering holding a new round of talks before the temporary ceasefire agreement expires next week.
On Monday, U.S. President Trump signaled optimism by stating, “I can tell you, they called us.” “This morning, the right people, the appropriate people called us, and they really, really want to make a deal,” he said.
While Trump did not disclose details, he emphasized that Iran has shown willingness to reach an agreement, but reiterated that he would not approve any deal that allows Tehran to possess nuclear weapons.
While diplomatic efforts progress, military pressure continues. The U.S. military officially initiated a blockade on Iranian ports at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday.
The U.S. Central Command issued a maritime notice stating that the blockade would be “equitably enforced” on ships entering and leaving Iranian ports, but emphasized that it would not impede neutral ships heading to destinations other than Iran.
On Monday, Vice President JD Vance, leading the U.S. delegation for negotiations with Iran, indicated in an interview with Fox News that significant progress had been made between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. has clearly communicated its bottom line to Tehran.
Vance stated that Iran is “moving closer to where we want them to be, so I think we’ll say we’ve seen some positive signs, but they haven’t gone far enough.”
He emphasized that the U.S. insists on all enriched uranium being shipped out of Iran and the establishment of a verification mechanism to ensure Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons.
However, the current regional situation remains complex. The Iranian military has warned that if Iranian ports are threatened, the Gulf region will no longer be safe. Additionally, NATO allies such as the UK and France have explicitly stated that they will not participate in the blockade.
With only one week left until the temporary ceasefire agreement expires, there is significant attention on the progress of negotiations.
Meanwhile, Israel’s actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon are ongoing, and both the U.S. and Israel believe this is not included in the ceasefire agreement, but Iran holds an opposing view, adding variables to the regional peace process.