Asia-Pacific stock markets saw broad gains on Friday, tracking a positive momentum from Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average recently reached a record closing high. Investors are currently balancing optimism from global equity performance against ongoing diplomatic uncertainty surrounding U.S.-Iran relations, particularly as reports emerge regarding Tehran’s stance on its enriched uranium stockpile.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 climbed 1.36%, bolstered by economic data showing core inflation cooled to 1.4% in April. This figure, which excludes fresh food prices, fell below both market expectations and the previous month’s reading, potentially easing pressure on the Bank of Japan to pursue an aggressive interest rate hike. Meanwhile, other regional indices followed suit, with South Korea’s Kospi rising 0.59%, the Kosdaq jumping over 5%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gaining 0.55%. Markets in Hong Kong and mainland China also posted gains, with the Hang Seng and CSI 300 rising 1.22% and 0.70%, respectively.

Commodity and bond markets also reacted to the shifting landscape. Oil prices rebounded, with Brent crude futures rising 1.46% to $104.08 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 0.93%. In the bond market, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield dipped slightly to 4.57%. Analysts note that global credit markets are facing structural pressures, driven by increased government spending on defense and the massive capital requirements for global artificial intelligence and data-center infrastructure, which are contributing to a widening imbalance between global savings and investment needs.