Asia-Pacific markets set for mixed open as investors weigh Fed comments, Israel-Iran ceasefire

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Sydney Harbour and the skyline of the cardinal concern territory (CBD) successful Sydney, Australia, connected Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Asia-Pacific markets were acceptable to unfastened mixed Wednesday, arsenic investors weighed a ceasefire betwixt Israel and Iran, arsenic good arsenic fresh commentary from the U.S. Federal Reserve.

There is increasing optimism that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump volition apt hold.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was acceptable to unfastened higher, with the futures declaration successful Chicago astatine 38,840, against the index's past adjacent of 38,790.56.

Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood astatine 24,341, pointing to a higher unfastened compared to the HSI's past adjacent of 24,177.07.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 is slated to unfastened somewhat lower, with futures tied to the benchmark astatine 8,540, compared to its past adjacent of 8,555.5.

Investors volition beryllium keeping an oculus connected Australia's ostentation information for May.

U.S. futures are adjacent flat. Futures tied to the wide S&P 500 scale ticked down 0.1%, arsenic did Nasdaq 100 futuresDow Jones Industrial Average futures lost 26 points, oregon 0.1%.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday the Fed was committed to keeping ostentation successful cheque and would apt support rates dependable until there's much clarity connected however tariffs mightiness impact prices.

Powell said policymakers were "well positioned to hold to larn much astir the apt people of the system earlier considering immoderate adjustments to our argumentation stance."

Overnight stateside, the 3 large averages closed higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 507.24 points, oregon 1.19%, and closed astatine 43,089.02. The S&P 500 gained 1.11% to extremity astatine 6,092.18. The wide marketplace scale is present astir 0.9% distant from its 52-week high. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.43%, settling astatine 19,912.53. The Nasdaq 100 added 1.53% for a grounds adjacent of 22,190.52.

— CNBC's Lisa Kailan Han and Brian Evans contributed to this report.

Stocks adjacent higher, lipid tumbles for 2nd consecutive day

Stocks closed higher connected Tuesday portion lipid slid, with capitalist appetite for hazard increasing connected the heels of a ceasefire betwixt Iran and Israel.

The S&P 500 added 1.11% to decorativeness the league astatine 6,092.18, portion the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.43% to 19,912.53. The Dow Jones Industrial Average precocious 507.24 points, oregon 1.19%, to adjacent astatine 43,089.02.

Oil tumbled 6%, extending a descent from Monday.

— Brian Evans

The Federal Reserve volition person capable anemic economical information to chopped involvement rates by September, says Pantheon Macroeconomics

The Federal Reserve gathering is seen earlier the Federal Reserve committee is expected to awesome plans to rise involvement rates successful March arsenic it focuses connected warring inflation, successful Washington, D.C., connected Jan. 26, 2022.

Joshua Roberts | Reuters

A weakening successful the labour marketplace could springiness the Federal Reserve ample ammunition to chopped involvement rates successful the fall, according to Pantheon Macroeconomics elder U.S. economist Oliver Allen.

"The FOMC's hesitation to commit to a peculiar people connected monetary argumentation is understandable fixed the large uncertainties that stay astir tariffs and their economical impact," Allen wrote connected Tuesday. "But we deliberation the grounds of a marked deterioration successful the labour marketplace volition beryllium stark capable by September to person the Fed to resume easing policy, contempt lingering worries astir inflation."

— Brian Evans

There could much declines up for oil, says Piper Sandler

Oil prices could descent further if the existent scope of $64 per tube to $65 is breached, according to Piper Sandler.

"The overnight quality of a ceasefire betwixt Israel and Iran resulted successful Oil retreating further to $64-$65, and investigating caller enactment astatine past week's breakout point," main marketplace technician Craig Johnson wrote wrote successful a Tuesday note. "If it fails to clasp here, past a further diminution beneath $60 is likely."

— Brian Evans

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