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Asian shares track US gains on optimism of further US-Iran talksShares in Japan, South Korea and Australia opened higher, resulting in the MSCI Asia Pacific Index increasing 0.9%. This came after the S&P 500 Index ended 1.2% up to extend a rebound, which has brought it to the brink of its peak in late January.By CNBC-TV18 April 15, 2026, 6:26:10 AM IST (Published)3 Min ReadAsian shares opened higher on Wednesday, tracking the overnight gains on Wall Street, on the back of optimism over further US-Iran talks lifting sentiment and pushing down oil prices.

Shares in Japan, South Korea and Australia opened higher, resulting in the MSCI Asia Pacific Index increasing 0.9%. This came after the S&P 500 Index ended 1.2% up to extend a rebound, which has brought it to the brink of its peak in late January. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 surged 1.8%, recording its 10th consecutive day of gains, its longest winning streak since 2021.

Brent crude fell 0.4% to $94.50 a barrel on Wednesday as President Donald Trump told Fox News that he views the war as very close to being over.

Market sentiment has improved on expectations that an easing in Middle East tensions after more than a month of hostilities will help moderate oil prices and inflation, while supporting a recovery in economic growth. The US and Iran are seeking a second round of talks in the coming days, as tensions in the Strait of Hormuz deepen the global energy crisis ahead of next week’s expiry of a ceasefire.

Trump said talks could resume “over the next two days” in Pakistan, the New York Post reported. That would build on a marathon yet inconclusive session in Islamabad on Saturday night.

In the meantime, the US is pressing ahead with a naval blockade of Hormuz to curb the Islamic Republic’s oil exports, as the battle for control of the strategic waterway intensifies.

Asian markets, among the hardest hit by the Iran war, are also starting to recoup war-related losses, signaling investors are growing more confident that tensions in the Middle East will ease. Taiwan and Singapore equities have erased their declines while other markets are closing in on their pre-war levels. The yuan has also gained for eight straight days ending Tuesday.

Elsewhere, gold steadied around $4,840 an ounce while the dollar was weaker for an eighth consecutive session. Treasuries strengthened during the New York session. Crude oil dropped also as the International Energy Agency estimated that the war will wipe out global oil demand growth for the first time since the 2020 pandemic.

The International Monetary Fund also downgraded its global growth projection for the year because of the war in the Middle East and included the possibility of a downturn if the conflict drags on and energy infrastructure is severely damaged.

Traders are also focused on first-quarter earnings at a time when the war in the Middle East is weighing on the outlook for the economy. JPMorgan Chase & Co. shares slipped despite a record quarterly trading revenue haul. Citigroup Inc. rose after reporting its highest quarterly return in five years on tangible common equity.

BlackRock Inc. took in a net $130 billion of client cash in the first quarter, with investor money continuing to pour in despite volatility in the public and private markets and protracted uncertainty over the war in Iran. Shares rose 3%.

Meanwhile, US wholesale prices rose by less than expected in March, despite a surge in energy costs tied to the Iran war, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed. The producer price index rose 0.5%, with an underlying gauge that excludes food and energy up just 0.1%. Economists projected a 1.1% increase for the PPI from a month earlier.

The data follow figures last week that showed US consumer prices surged in March because of skyrocketing gasoline prices, even as underlying inflation came in below estimates.

With inputs from BloombergAlso Read: Trade Setup for April 15: Nifty holds 23,500 support but bulls aim for a retest of 24,000Continue ReadingTagsasian marketsglobal marketsStock market