South Korea’s Kospi hits fresh record high for second straight session amid regional declines as U.S.-Iran tensions take hold

The Seoul city skyline early on December 16, 2020. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP) (Photo by ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images) Ed Jones | Afp | Getty Images South Korea’s Kospi touched a record high for the second straight day on Friday, powered by a rally among insurance stocks and defense players. Samsung Life … Read more

U.S. asks American citizens to ‘leave Iran now’ ahead of high-stakes talks with Tehran

Two armed members of Iran’s police special forces stand behind a country flag placed on an armored military vehicle during a pro-Government rally in downtown Tehran, Iran, on January 12, 2026. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran issued a security alert early Friday urging American citizens to “leave Iran … Read more

‘Very dangerous’: Trump reportedly warns UK of doing business with China as Starmer seeks a reset

US President Donald Trump greets Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a summit on Gaza, Egypt, in Sharm el-Sheikh on Oct. 13, 2025. Evan Vucci | Afp | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday reportedly warned the U.K. that it would be “very dangerous” for the country to do business with China, after … Read more

South Korean auto stocks fall after Trump hikes tariffs on trade deal approval delay

Aerial view of Seoul downtown city skyline with vehicle on expressway and bridge cross over Han river in Seoul city, South Korea. Mongkol Chuewong | Moment | Getty Images Shares of South Korean autos tumbled Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at the country overnight, saying he would increase tariffs on Asia’s fourth-largest … Read more

South Korea’s Kospi breaches 5,000 as Asia stocks rebound after Trump walks back on Europe tariff threats

A Greenlandic flag flies over a residential house on Jan. 21, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. Sean Gallup | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets rebounded Thursday, tracking gains on Wall Street after U.S. President Donald Trump walked back on his threat to impose tariffs on European countries over Greenland. South Korea’s Kospi led regional gains, rising 1.81% … Read more

China keeps benchmark lending rates unchanged despite slowing economic growth

BEIJING, CHINA – JANUARY 06: The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) building is seen on January 6, 2025 in Beijing, China.  Visual China Group | Getty Images China’s central bank kept its loan prime rates unchanged on Tuesday as the authorities focus on targeted support for specific sectors to bolster a slowing economy instead of … Read more

Asia-Pacific markets mostly slip as investors assess Greenland developments and key China data

People celebrate the New Year at a ceremony at the Juyongguan Great Wall section, also known as Juyong Pass, in Beijing, China, January 1, 2026. Maxim Shemetov | Reuters Asia-Pacific markets mostly slipped Monday, as investors assessed threats from the Trump administration toward Greenland over the weekend, as well as key economic data from China … Read more

Iran reopens airspace after hours-long shutdown spooks airlines

Security forces are seen during a pro-government rally on Jan. 12, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. Getty Images | Getty Images News | Getty Images Iran reopened its airspace early Thursday after a temporary closure that barred most incoming and outgoing flights for several hours amid concerns the U.S. could carry out military strikes, raising risks … Read more

China’s annual trade surplus hits a record $1.2 trillion, even as exports to U.S. decline by 20%

QINGDAO, CHINA – JANUARY 13, 2026 – The cargo ship is loading and unloading foreign trade containers at Qingdao Port in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China on January 13, 2026. Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images China’s exports growth in December sharply beat expectations, catapulting the annual trade surplus to a record high, while … Read more

Japanese stocks open at record highs as expectations of snap poll rise

Osanbashi in Yokohama on December 10, 2022. Yuichi Yamazaki | Afp | Getty Images Japanese indexes hit record highs Wednesday on expectations that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could call for a snap election, likely in February. If called, it will be Takaichi’s first time facing Japan’s voters in an election. The Nikkei 225 index rose … Read more