US-Iran
Seoul stocks open sharply higher ahead of US-Iran ceasefire deadline
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South Korean stocks opened sharply higher on Tuesday ahead of the deadline for a two-week ceasefire in the U.S.-Iran war. The benchmark KOSPI rose 1.99 percent to 6,342.76 as of 9:23 a.m., on pace to break a record. Investors are closely watching the Middle East situation alongside corporate earnings.
Seoul shares opened sharply higher on hopes for a second round of U.S.-Iran peace talks, tracking overnight Wall Street gains. The KOSPI added 175.80 points, or 2.95%, to 6,143.55 in the first 15 minutes of trading. It had risen 2.74% to close at 5,967.75 on Tuesday.
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Three weeks after Iran's Strait of Hormuz blockade began, oil prices surged another 8% above $100 a barrel as US-Iran peace talks collapsed and the US Navy imposed its own blockade to curb Iranian exports. The escalation heightens global supply fears, with President Trump warning of sustained high fuel prices through November's midterm elections.
At the Raisina Dialogue 2026, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to the US submarine sinking the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena by explaining India's permission for IRIS Lavan to dock in Kochi. He stated the decision was based on humanitarian grounds and that India supports UNCLOS and international law. Jaishankar emphasized understanding the geopolitical realities of the Indian Ocean.
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Iran's top military commander, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, has warned US President Donald Trump that a war with Tehran would serve as a valuable lesson for him. The statement responds to Trump's comments on potential regime change in Iran and the deployment of US aircraft carriers in the region. Tensions are rising amid ongoing nuclear diplomacy talks.