Oil Rebound Keeps Asia-Pacific Markets on Edge Amid Middle East Tension

Asia-Pacific equities climbed after Wall Street’s rally, helped by a rebound in oil prices but faced lingering Middle East uncertainty; Brent traded near $103.7 and WTI around $91.7 as major indices rose (Nikkei-225 +1.1%, Topix +1.87%, Kospi up ~1.5% intraday before trimming gains, Hang Seng +1.62%, CSI 300 +0.52%). Japan’s February CPI cooled to 1.3%, undershooting the 2% target. U.S. stock futures swung following Trump’s claim that he delayed strikes on Iran, a report Iranian officials disputed, while precious metals and other assets moved as risk sentiment shifted.