Trading volumes may be thinner, with several major markets—including those in China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland—closed for the Labour Day holiday.
Energy prices remained elevated but relatively stable. Brent crude rose 67 cents to $111.07 per barrel, while the US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, added 10 cents to $105.17, as uncertainty persisted over the Middle East conflict.
The sharp move in energy prices weighed on global equities. Markets across Asia—including Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Taipei, Mumbai, Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta—closed lower, while Shanghai was broadly flat. Safe-haven demand lifted the US dollar against major peers.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.7% to 59,678.31, supported by strength in the yen against the dollar.
Geopolitical tensions continue to cloud the outlook. Iran’s leadership reiterated its commitment to maintaining nuclear and missile capabilities, while Donald Trump is reportedly exploring options to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a critical artery for global energy exports.
Overnight in the US, markets closed higher as investors digested a combination of economic data and easing oil prices. The S&P 500 gained 1%, capping a strong month with a 10.4% rise—its largest monthly increase in over five years. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.9% on the day and surged 15.3% over April, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.6% in the final session of the month.
In after-hours trading, Apple rose 1.9% after reporting record quarterly results, driven by strong iPhone sales and double-digit growth across all regions.
Supporting sentiment, US GDP expanded by 2% in the first quarter of 2026, while jobless claims fell to their lowest level since 1969, reinforcing confidence in the resilience of the US economy.
