Nikkei 225 drar ner Asien när Mellanösterns spänningar slår mot börsstämningen

Asiatiska aktier sjönk på tisdagen när tvivel kring en vapenvila i Mellanöstern dämpade riskaptiten och motverkade optimismen kring finansiering för artificiell intelligens och potentiella börsnoteringar.

MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan slipped 0.6% after a volatile open.

South Korea’s KOSPI fell as much as 3.3%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.9%. S&P 500 e-mini futures were down 0.5%, pointing to a softer start on Wall Street.

Sessionen speglade en välbekant splittring på de globala marknaderna: investerare är villiga att stötta AI-temat, men tar samtidigt hem vinster när geopolitiska risker blossar upp.

Oro över hållbarheten i vapenviloförsök i Mellanöstern höll handlare försiktiga, även om nya AI-relaterade utvecklingar gav stöd åt delar av tekniksektorn.

Tvivel om vapenvila tynger stämningen

Handlare vägde förnyad geopolitisk osäkerhet mot fortsatt entusiasm för AI‑relaterade bolag.

En analytiker på IG i Sydney sade att rörelsen inte var en omvärdering av AI‑temat, utan snarare vinsthemtagning efter en kraftig uppgång.

Analytikerna pekade också på upprepade falska starter i vapenvilodiskussionerna sedan april och sade att den senaste bristen på framsteg har förstärkt marknadens avvaktande hållning.

Den försiktigheten syntes över regionala index. Sydkoreanska aktier var bland de mest drabbade, där tekniktunga aktörer som Samsung Electronics och SK Hynix växlade mellan uppgångar och nedgångar.

Japanska aktier backade också när investerare minskade exponeringen efter de senaste vinsterna.

Oil eases but risks remain

Brent crude fell 0.6% to $94.45 a barrel after Lebanon announced a partial ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel on Monday.

The move retraced some of the previous session’s gains, which had followed reports that Tehran had halted indirect negotiations with the US.

Markets remain wary of US-Iran talks aimed at ending a three-month conflict, given the fragility of earlier ceasefire efforts.

Energy prices have become a key channel through which Middle East risk is feeding into broader markets, with higher crude prices threatening to complicate inflation and interest-rate expectations.

Wall Street-data ger visst stöd

US equities had offered a more constructive signal overnight. The S&P 500 closed 0.3% higher after the ISM manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 54.0 in May from 52.7, beating expectations and reaching its highest level in four years.

The businesses may have front-loaded orders because of rising prices and shortages linked to the war with Iran.

That helped reinforce the view that parts of the US economy remain resilient, even as investors continue to assess the impact of higher energy costs and geopolitical disruption.

David Rosenberg of Rosenberg Research said the equity market was clearly in “boom mode,” pointing to a nine-week winning streak last seen in late 2023.

AI-optimism dämpar skadorna

AI remained a counterweight to the broader risk-off tone. Suppliers across Asia drew support after Anthropic confidentially filed for a US initial public offering that could attract a trillion-dollar valuation.

Alphabet shares slipped 0.7% in after-hours trading after the company said it plans to raise $80 billion through equity offerings, including an investment from Berkshire Hathaway, to fund AI infrastructure expansion.

The developments underscored how capital continues to flow into AI infrastructure, even as investors become more selective after a strong run in technology shares.

For Asian chip and hardware suppliers, the AI investment cycle remains a major source of support.

Koreas penningpolitiska utsikter skärps

South Korea’s market was especially volatile after inflation accelerated in May to its highest level in more than two years. The data strengthened expectations that the Bank of Korea may raise interest rates next month.

The central bank last week signalled a shift towards a more restrictive stance, aimed at curbing inflation and supporting the won.

That prospect added another layer of pressure on domestic equities, particularly rate-sensitive sectors.