US stocks may gain momentum on reports that Iran has accepted shelving the nuclear issue and opening the Strait of Hormuz, while Japanese stocks face the final day, 28 September, to obtain rights to the interim dividend, and the Nikkei 225 may remain soft.
In the US stock market, the Dow Jones rose sharply on 25 September, gaining $478 from the previous day, as buying prevailed against a backdrop of oil price movements and interest-rate fluctuations. Meanwhile, expectations for progress in negotiations with Iran, including the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, supported investor sentiment, and some components of the S&P 500 showed signs of recovery.
The article reports that Iran made a proposal conditional on opening the Strait of Hormuz and that the US indicated it was expected to lift its economic blockade against Iran, alongside analysis of the US's strategic position. In the oil market, WTI futures appeared to pause their decline, while concerns about higher long-term interest rates were also cited.
In the Japanese stock market, the Nikkei 225 surged, rising ¥495 from the previous day on 24 September and ¥850 on 25 September. However, with 28 September the final day to obtain rights to the interim dividend, the Nikkei 225 may turn soft after the rights date. The impact of higher interest rates and movements in AI- and semiconductor-related stocks also affected the performance of the top contributors.
Among the top 5 contributors, stocks that pushed the Nikkei 225 higher and those that weighed on it were mixed. Profit-taking selling and selling to adjust positions are expected to increase after the end of the rights-acquisition period, and some market participants cite around 28 September as a turning point.