[MARKET ANALYSIS] Asia-Pac stocks trade with cautious gains in the countdown to Trump's Tuesday evening deadline for Iran

APAC Stocks: Mostly Positive

• Asia-Pac stocks trade with cautious gains following the positive lead from the US and as all focus remains on geopolitics heading into US President Trump's Tuesday evening deadline for Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz or face the US destroying its power plants and bridges, although President Trump had also previously stated that he thinks talks are going well with Iran and they would like to be able to make a deal.

ASX 200: +1.4%

• Rallied with tech and miners leading the upside, and with almost all sectors in the green aside from industrials and consumer staples.

Nikkei 225: -0.2%

• Failed to sustain its initial advances with the index pressured amid headwinds from higher oil prices and following disappointing Household Spending data.

KOSPI +0.3%

• Surged at the open with strong gains in Samsung Electronics after its preliminary results topped forecasts and showed around an eight-fold jump in Q1 operating profit, although most of the advances were pared as shares in the index heavyweight also pulled back.

Shanghai Comp: +0.1%

• Ekes out marginal gains on return from the long weekend, but with upside limited after another meek PBoC liquidity operation and with the Stock Connect still closed as Hong Kong markets remained shut.

US Equity Futures: Lower

• Mildly declined as oil prices edged higher in the countdown to the Tuesday evening deadline for Iran.

European Equity Futures +0.1%

• Indicate a rangebound open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.1% after the cash market closed with losses of 0.7% on Thursday.