Asian stocks were mixed at the start of the week. The Nikkei 225 rose, supported by technology stocks, while oil prices surged amid heightened tensions in the Middle East. Sentiment remained cautious ahead of the release of US inflation data.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 closed 2% higher at 66,890.02, led by gains in the technology sector. In contrast, Seoul's KOSPI rose just 0.8%, while Samsung Electronics fell 0.9% and SK Hynix declined 1.3%.
Crude oil prices rose against a backdrop of geopolitical risk in the Middle East. Brent ended trading at $84.04 and WTI at $78.58.
External factors affecting the US market included Israel's rejection of a Gaza ceasefire proposal and the emergence of details about a potential agreement between Iran and Oman. Supply risks were also flagged following Houthi attacks on ports along the Red Sea coast.
US markets moved amid the impact of the jobs report, with the S&P 500 up 0.6% at 7,757.64, the Nasdaq up 1.3% and the Dow up 0.3%. In the bond market, the 10-year Treasury yield was 4.64% and the 2-year yield was 4.20%, while USD/JPY rose from ¥157.71 to ¥158.37.