[MARKET ANALYSIS] Asia-Pac stocks climbed amid Iran ceasefire hopes

APAC Stocks: Positive

• Asia-Pac stocks are higher with risk spurred by hopes of a halt to the Iran conflict after optimistic comments from US President Trump regarding negotiations, while it was reported that the US was working on a 1-month ceasefire and offered a 15-point plan to Iran for ending the conflict.

ASX 200: +1.8%

• Rallied with gains led by outperformance in mining stocks as gold producers cheered a rebound in the precious metal, while the federal and Queensland state governments announced a AUD 2bln bailout for Rio Tinto's Boyne aluminium smelter.

Nikkei 225: +2.2%

• Outperforms and returned to above the USD 53,000 level as Iran ceasefire hopes alleviate the recent oil and inflation-related pressures.

Hang Seng & Shanghai Comp: Hang Seng +0.2% / Shanghai Comp +0.9%

• Chinese markets are positive, albeit to varying degrees, as participants digest a slew of earnings releases, while the PBoC conducted a CNY 500bln on 1yr MLF operation.

US Equity Futures: Positive

• Index futures are higher and were underpinned by the Iran ceasefire hopes.

European Equity Futures +0.9%

• Indicate a positive cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.9% after the cash market closed with gains of 0.1% on Tuesday.