Japanese Stocks Top 65,000 for First Time. Trump Says Saturday US-Iran Deal Basically Reached

TradingKey - In early Asian trading on May 25, the Nikkei 225 index hit the 65,000 mark for the first time, breaking through key levels of 64,000 and 65,000. It has risen 2.8%, reaching an intraday high of 65,170.

Among heavyweight stocks, SoftBank Group jumped over 5%, Tokyo Electron rose more than 3%, and semiconductor stock Advantest gained nearly 5%.

On the news front, Trump stated this Saturday that a U.S.-Iran deal was essentially reached, though he noted on Sunday that it was not yet fully finalized. According to U.S. media, Iran has agreed to relinquish its highly enriched uranium stockpiles and reopen the Strait of Hormuz during a 60-day ceasefire extension; meanwhile, Iranian media reported the strait will remain under Iranian "management" and not return to pre-war status, noting no commitments were made regarding nuclear details. President Pezeshkian stated that Iran is prepared to declare it does not seek nuclear weapons or regional instability.

Futures for the three major U.S. stock indices rose simultaneously, with Nasdaq 100 futures advancing over 1%.

South Korean and Hong Kong markets are closed today for Buddha's Birthday, while U.S. markets are closed for Memorial Day.