WORLD

Asian shares mostly slip as latest fighting undermines the US-Iran ceasefire.

Jun 1, 2026, 8:38 PM | Updated: Jun 2, 2026, 5:40 am

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly declined Tuesday as renewed fighting threatened the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

U.S. futures also fell.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 slipped 1.6% to 65,833.49 and South Korea’s Kospi dipped 1.7% to 8,642.82.

The Hang Seng gained 1.2% to 25,698.75, while the Shanghai Composite slipped less than 0.1% to 4,056.56.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.4% to 8,692.20.

Monday on Wall Street, U.S. stocks ticked to more records.

The S&P 500 added 0.3% to close at 7,599.96 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1% to 51,078.88. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.4% to 27,086.81.

In the bond market, the yield for the 10-year Treasury briefly approached 4.52% before regressing to 4.46%, up from 4.45% late Friday.

U.S. companies with big fuel bills were hurt by rising oil prices. United Airlines lost 2.6%, and Alaska Air Group fell 3.3% after the price for a barrel of Brent crude oil climbed in overnight trading.

In Asian trading early Tuesday, benchmark U.S. crude lost 39 cents to $91.77 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, slipped 28 cents to $94.70 a barrel. The levels are still well above the roughly $70 level they were at before the war.

Much hinges on whether the United States and Iran will reach an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, allowing deliveries of oil to resume from the Persian Gulf and easing the upward pressure on inflation.

Japan, for instance, imports almost all its oil, although the effects on prices of gas and other products have been relatively contained by the release of the nation’s reserves so far.

“Crude shortages have already forced refiners across Asia and Europe to aggressively reduce runs,” said analyst Stephen Innes. “The result is that the squeeze is no longer confined to crude inventories. It is spreading into the fuels that actually power economies: gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG, and naphtha.”

On Monday, the United States said it bombed Iranian radar and drone sites after Tehran downed an American drone. Iran said it targeted U.S. soldiers in Kuwait with missiles that the U.S. said it shot down.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel and Hezbollah agreed to dial back their fighting after he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and communicated with the Lebanon-militant group through mediators.

On Wall Street, Nvidia was the strongest force lifting the market and rose 6.2% after CEO Jensen Huang announced several product updates at a conference. What Nvidia does matters immensely for the U.S. stock market because it’s the biggest in terms of overall market value.

In currency trading, the U.S. dollar rose to 159.70 Japanese yen from 159.66 yen. The euro was unchanged at $1.1631.

___

AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed.

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

World

In this photo, released by Belarusian Presidential Press Service, Belarusian President Alexander Lu...

Associated Press

Belarus frees 25 prisoners in exchange for the US lifting some sanctions, envoy says

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The U.S. special envoy for Belarus said Wednesday that the country’s authorities have agreed to release 25 prisoners as part of a deal that includes the lifting of U.S. sanctions against some Belarusian companies. John Coale, President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Belarus, made the statement a day after meeting Belarus’ […]

8 hours ago

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Rubio depart the international airport Er...

Associated Press

Trump administration hits South Africa with new sanctions over alleged discrimination against whites

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The Trump administration has announced that it will impose travel bans on officials it claims are responsible for discrimination against whites and other minority groups in South Africa. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday he would revoke U.S. visas or reject visa applications from foreign nationals found […]

11 hours ago

This image taken from an undated video released Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, by the Ansar Allah Media O...

Associated Press

Saudi Arabia calls an attempted Mecca attack a ‘red line’ as Iran-backed Houthis deny they did it

CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia accused Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels overnight of trying to attack Islam’s holiest city, prompting condemnation from countries in the region but no sign of military support. The kingdom, a key U.S. ally, declared Mecca a “red line” as it slid deeper into the new front of the Iran war. With […]

11 hours ago

The screens showing the foreign exchange rates are displayed at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seou...

Associated Press

Asian stocks mostly higher ahead of Fed’s interest rate decision

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher Wednesday despite losses on Wall Street, as investors await the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates, with high expectations of a rate hike. U.S. futures also edged higher. There is widespread expectation that the Fed will hike rates Wednesday for the first time in three years […]

15 hours ago

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a fireside chat with the Chief Executive Officer of PSP In...

Associated Press

Carney hopes trade war with US will make Canada stronger and more resilient

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that Canada intends to emerge from its trade war with the United States as a more resilient and independent economy, and that future cooperation with Washington must be based on respect for each country’s sovereignty. “And to our American friends, let me say this. We […]

1 day ago

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko gestures while speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organ...

Associated Press

Belarus’ authoritarian leader meets US envoy to push for lifting sanctions

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko met with a U.S. envoy on Tuesday to push for the lifting of the remaining U.S. sanctions against his country. Speaking at a meeting with John Coale, the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, Lukashenko said that “we have reached quite a few agreements related to our […]

1 day ago

Asian shares mostly slip as latest fighting undermines the US-Iran ceasefire.