{
  "id": 111799,
  "title": "Asian stocks move higher on Wall Street lead, oil steady",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/asian-stocks-move-higher-on-wall-street-lead-oil-steady",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-04T01:13:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/08/04/asian-stocks-move-higher-on-wall-street-lead-oil-steady"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Asian markets opened with cautious optimism on Monday, following a global rally as traders reacted to the US Federal Reserve's potential interest rate hike. MSCI's Asia-Pacific index, excluding Japan, rose by 0.1%, driven by a strong performance from South Korean shares. Japan's Nikkei, however, fell 0.3%. The S&P 500 e-mini futures also saw a slight increase of 0.1%. Investors took heart from recent US manufacturing data, which indicated a surge in activity to its highest level in over four years in July, driving the Dow Jones Industrial Average to a new high.\n\nChris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group in Melbourne, commented, \"Risk markets have clearly turned a corner.\" He further stated, \"If the constructive tone from European and US equity markets persists, buyers should emerge early in the session and provide support for regional risk assets.\"\n\nOil prices experienced modest gains as Asian markets reopened, with Brent crude climbing 0.6% to $84.29 a barrel. This rise came after the price had plummeted to a three-week low on Monday due to US President Donald Trump's decision to refrain from launching a fresh strike on Iran, seen as a goodwill gesture during ongoing peace talks. Tehran, however, has denied any negotiation efforts.\n\nThe US dollar strengthened slightly, with a 0.3% increase against the yen, reaching 157.625 yen. This gain was attributed to coordinated interventions by US and Japanese authorities aimed at supporting the yen last week. The US dollar index also hit a low not seen in the past two months, at 99.99. The yield on the US 10-year Treasury bond rose by 0.2 basis points to 4.684%.\n\nDespite the optimism in stock markets, markets continue to anticipate an interest rate increase at the Federal Reserve's September meeting. Fed funds futures suggest a 65% probability of a 25-basis-point hike during the upcoming two-day meeting, scheduled for September 16. Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams expressed optimism that inflation pressures are set to ease gradually, but emphasized that the Fed would hike rates if inflation does not decelerate. In the cryptocurrency market, both Bitcoin and Ether experienced a 0.5% decline, settling at $63,446.35 and $1,857.44, respectively.",
  "summary": "Markets take confidence from stronger US manufacturing activity, pushing Dow Jones Industrial Average to a record close.",
  "key_points": [
    "Asian markets rise 0.1% on Wall Street lead, South Korean shares perform well",
    "US manufacturing activity hits 4-year high, boosting investor confidence",
    "Oil prices steady, Brent crude gains 0.6% to $84.29 a barrel"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The renewed optimism in Asian markets, driven by a US-led global rally, suggests that investors are increasingly viewing the Federal Reserve's potential interest rate hike as a manageable risk rather than a threat.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Fortune",
        "title": "‘A fantastic amount of money to have borrowed’: a top Wall Street wealth advisor is stunned by the national debt",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/a-fantastic-amount-of-money-to-have-borrowed-a-top-wall-street-wealth",
        "published": "2026-08-03T16:28:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "Oil rebounds as markets trade mixed following Wall Street rally",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/oil-rebounds-as-markets-trade-mixed-following-wall-street-rally",
        "published": "2026-08-04T06:09:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}