Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia Edition

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Brent crude traded above $112 per barrel as strikes between Iran and Israel on critical energy facilities — which also caused extensive damage to the world's largest liquefied natural gas export plant in Qatar — raised concerns of a more lasting impact from the conflict. We speak to Sing Yee Ong, Bloomberg's Asia Energy Reporter. Plus - Federal Reserve officials left interest rates unchanged and continued to expect one rate cut this year as they acknowledged increased uncertainty due to war in the Middle East. Chair Jerome Powell emphasized that to resume lowering rates, officials would have to see progress in reducing inflation, especially goods inflation that has been boosted by tariffs. We speak to David Finnerty, Bloomberg's FX and Rates Strategist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities rose while oil edged lower, suggesting investors are trying to look past near-term geopolitical uncertainty and find a measure of stability in markets. We speak to Lianting Tu, Managing Editor for Asia Equities. Plus - US President Donald Trump abandoned his effort to recruit partners for the war with Iran and scolded allies who openly rejected his appeals, even as he repeated claims the conflict would end soon. The US and Israel nonetheless kept up their attacks with little clarity on when operations would end, with Israel saying it had killed Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, in an overnight operation. Trump threatened to expand strikes on Kharg Island, Iran's main export hub, while Gulf countries continued to face attacks from Iran-sent drones. We heard from Fred Fleitz, America First Policy Institute Vice Chair of American Security. He spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities rose at the open after optimism that more tankers would be able to pass through the crucial Strait of Hormuz lifted gauges on Wall Street. Risk appetite was also boosted by expectations that major economies could release petroleum reserves to offset potential supply disruptions, after President Donald Trump renewed calls for allies to help safeguard the Strait of Hormuz. Threats to flows through the vital shipping lane continued to fan inflation worries as investors brace for a slate of central-bank meetings this week. We speak to Paul Dobson, Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - President Donald Trump requested a delay to his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for about a month, saying it was important for him to remain in Washington to oversee the Iran war. "We're working on that right now. We're speaking to China. I'd love to, but because of the war, I want to be here," Trump said Monday during a White House event when asked about potentially rescheduling the high-profile summit. The meeting between the leaders of the world's two largest economies is currently set to begin later this month. We heard from Mara Rudman, Practitioner Senior Fellow at University of Virginia's Miller Center. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil erased early gains as traders sought to gauge the impact to supply after US attacks on Iran's main export hub, another escalation in the war that's all but cut off global customers from the region's energy supplies for more than two weeks. We spoke to Steven Schoenfeld, CEO at MarketVector Indexes. Plus - The world's top central banks convene this week facing a renewed inflation threat from the war in Iran and the possibility that they'll be forced to delay interest-rate cuts and in some cases consider hikes. Changes aren't imminent yet: The Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England are all expected to keep borrowing costs steady as they assess how much surging energy costs will feed through to consumer prices and growth. But for them and the other 18 central banks that are about to set policy — overseeing about two-thirds of the global economy in total — the tone will turn more cautious as they acknowledge the risk of another inflation shock. We heard from Diana Mousina, Deputy Chief Economist at AMP. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian stocks followed their US peers lower in early trading Friday, with oil prices in focus on growing fears that the war in Iran will further crimp energy supplies and boost inflation. Brent oil traded near $100 a barrel as both US President Donald Trump and Iran's new supreme leader struck defiant tones, with the latter saying the Strait of Hormuz should remain shut. Preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons and threatening the Middle East is "of far greater interest and importance to me" than the cost of oil, Trump said in a social media post. For more on the market action, we spoke to Winnie Hsu, Bloomberg's Asia Equities Reporter. And for more analysis on how the conflict in the Middle East is weighing on the equity market, we heard from Garry Evans, Head of Research Solutions at BCA Research. He spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Oil's advance showed concerns over an escalating Iran war outweighed relief offered by an emergency release of crude reserves by wealthy nations. The US plans to release 172 million barrels from its emergency oil reserve as nations around the world work to ease surging crude and fuel prices. That's part of the plan by member countries of the International Energy Agency to discharge 400 million barrels from reserves globally, its largest-ever release. For more analysis, we spoke to Mark Cranfield, Bloomberg's MLIV Strategist. And for markets perspective on the oil story, we heard from Dilin Wu, Research Strategist at Pepperstone. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Volatility in oil prices continue to dominate the markets. The International Energy Agency proposed biggest-ever release of oil reserves the Wall Street Journal reported. Brent crude initially declined. then swung between gains and losses following WSJ report; stocks rose. Earlier in the day, the oil market was buffeted by confusion over whether the US Navy escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. Energy Secretary Chris Wright claimed that was the case in a post on social media. Later, however, the post on X was deleted. Then in a briefing with reporters, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US did not escort any oil tanker through the Strait. For more on what this means for the dollar, we spoke to David Finnerty, Bloomberg's FX and Rates Strategist. And for more analysis on the oil story, we heard from Vandana Hari, Vanda Insights Founder. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. President Donald Trump said he would waive oil-related sanctions, have the US Navy escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and predicted on Monday that the war with Iran would resolve "very soon" as he confronted mounting economic and political pressure and days of dramatic fluctuations in oil markets. The president said he didn't believe the conflict would be over this week, but insisted the operation was ahead of schedule and looked to shore up investors increasingly concerned about energy prices. He vowed bombing "at a much, much harder level" if Iran disrupted oil supplies. For more on the impact Trump's remarks had on the oil market, we spoke to Stephen Stapczynski, Bloomberg's Asia Energy Team Leader. Plus - Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian female soccer players who sought asylum, citing fears for their safety after the team declined to sing the national anthem during a match on the Gold Coast last week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday that the government is willing to provide similar assistance to the rest of the Iranian women's team, the Lionesses, noting that "this is a very delicate situation and it is up to them" to decide. Craig Foster is an Australian retired soccer player and a human rights activist. He spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Crude oil surged above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022 due to escalating hostilities in the Middle East and worsening strains on oil shipping, sending stocks and Treasuries lower. Brent climbed 18% to around $109 a barrel, adding to last week's 28% surge. Traders are braced for further upheaval with the Iran conflict entering a second week, major producers curbing output and traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz effectively halted. For more on how this affects the markets, we spoke to Paul Dobson, Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - what does the oil surge mean for the economies in the Asia Pacific? We heard from Qian Wang, Vanguard Group Chief APAC Economist. She spoke to Bloomberg TV hosts, Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. The US-Israeli offensive against Iran has rattled energy markets, driving crude oil to multi-year highs on fears that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz may choke supplies and reignite inflation. That came as equity investors confront stretched valuations after an artificial intelligence-fueled rally pushed stocks to elevated levels. We spoke to Winnie Wu, Head of APAC Equity Strategy at Bank of America Global Research. Plus - Goldman Sachs Natural Gas Research Head Samantha Dart says a scenario where Brent crude prices cross the 100 dollar threshold as "possible" if the Strait of Hormuz were to experience several weeks of interrupted oil flow. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities rebounded, with South Korea leading gains after its worst rout on record, as sentiment showed signs of a recovery following an initial bout of volatility sparked by the Middle East conflict. In China, they set a growth target of 4.5% to 5%, its most modest in more than three decades, in a shift towards more sustainable growth drivers. For more, we turn to Lianting Tu, Bloomberg's Managing Editor for Asia Equities. Plus - Goldman Sachs Group Chief Executive Officer David Solomon said he's watching the private credit market for 'frothiness,' though he hasn't seen anything that gives him significant cause for concern. Speaking on the sidelines of the firm's inaugural 'Australia Week,' Solomon exclusively told Bloomberg that markets' 'benign' reaction reflects cautious stance on figuring out the endgame. He also shared his 'glass half full' outlook on the prospects for artificial intelligence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. The US-Israeli attack on Iran has destabilized the Middle East and threatens to deliver a new inflationary shock to the US economy by pushing up oil prices. There's also no clear sense of when or how it will end, raising the prospect of prolonged conflict and unforeseen consequences beyond the White House's control. Focus is on oil amid fresh attacks which flared in the Middle East as traders weighed a US plan to insure and escort tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with traffic in the vital waterway all but halted. For more perspective, we spoke to Rob Haworth, Senior Investment Strategy Director, U.S. Bank Asset Management Group. Plus - South Korean stocks are experiencing significant declines amid heightened geopolitical tensions. Risk-off sentiment driven by the Iran war has been the primary catalyst for the selloff, with concerns about higher energy prices threatening growth in South Korea, the world's eighth-largest oil consumer. We heard from Kerry Craig, JPMorgan Asset Management Global Market Strategist. He spoke to Bloomberg TV Hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Traders remained focused on oil with the commodity extending gains as the US and Israel stepped up their war against Iran, while Tehran threatened a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial waterway for the movement of oil. Brent rose toward $79 a barrel after spiking about 7% on Monday. We spoke to Stephen Stapczynski, Bloomberg's Team Leader for Asia Energy. Plus - The US sent conflicting messages about how long a war with Iran might last as Israel launched new airstrikes on Monday, with the widening conflict reverberating across the Middle East and upending energy markets. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday rejected the idea of an "endless" war with Iran. But President Donald Trump later insisted there was no fixed timeline. Both refused to rule out putting American boots on the ground. "Whatever the time is, it's okay — whatever it takes," Trump said. "Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks. But we have capability to go far longer than that." We heard from Mona Yacoubian, CSIS Director and Senior Adviser of the Middle East Program. She spoke to Bloomberg's David Ingles and Yvonne Man. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Oil surged by the most in four years, before paring some gains as traders assessed the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggered by the US-Israeli war against Iran. For more on the markets, we turn to Paul Dobson, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - President Donald Trump said the bombing campaign against Iran will continue until its objectives are achieved, calling on the nation's leaders to capitulate as a report indicated at least one top official in Tehran sought to resume nuclear talks with the US. The actions in Iran have drawn criticism from members of Congress. We heard from Madeleine Dean, Democratic Congresswoman from Pennsylvania. She spoke to Bloomberg's Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz on Balance of Power. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and Israel began striking targets across Iran, with President Donald Trump urging Iranians to overthrow the government in a conflict that threatens to spiral across the oil-rich Middle East. “The hour for your freedom is at hand,” Trump said, addressing Iranians in a video posted on Truth Social on Saturday. “When we’re finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.” The military campaign could be a defining moment for Trump, risking a drawn-out regional war that leads to a surge in energy prices and American casualties ahead of mid-term elections this year. Iran quickly responded by firing missiles on Israel and US bases around the region, and countries in the Persian Gulf closed their airspace. Israel’s military said the campaign would target “dozens of military targets,” and Iran media reported strikes on defensive and civilian sites, including more than 50 people dead in a strike on a school in Hormozgan, in the south of the country. Several large explosions were reported in the capital, Tehran. Bloomberg's David Gura and Christina Ruffini lead our team coverage in this instant reaction podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Japanese tech stocks showed mixed performance today, with the broader market experiencing modest movements and individual tech names displaying varied results. Also, a Tokyo inflation gauge eased to the slowest pace in more than a year as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's utility subsidies curbed household energy costs. We speak to Alice French, Bloomberg's Japan Stocks Reporter.. Plus - US and Iranian officials ended the latest round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday by agreeing to reconvene as soon as next week, opening the door to further diplomacy even as President Donald Trump masses military forces in the region. With just days to go before Trump's deadline to reach an agreement, the two sides agreed to resume discussions at a technical level in Vienna. Oil pared gains given the prospect of more talks, though there was no public reaction from the US side, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. A person familiar with the US position said the Americans were leaving Geneva disappointed with the progress of the talks. Axios reported earlier that Kushner and Witkoff were disappointed by what they heard from Iranian officials in their morning session. We heard from Mara Rudman, Miller Center Practitioner Senior Fellow and Former US Deputy Envoy and Chief of Staff for the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace. She spoke to Bloomberg TV hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia gave another bullish forecast for quarterly revenue. CEO Jensen Huang said the enterprise adoption of AI agents is skyrocketing. That suggests it's not just hyperscalers buying Nvidia's products, corporations are as well. Fiscal first-quarter sales will be about $78 billion, the chipmaker said in a statement Wednesday. Though the average Wall Street estimate was $72.8 billion, some analysts had projected numbers approaching $80 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. To break down the latest earnings, we spoke to Daniel Newman, CEO at the Futurum Group. Plus - Asian shares climbed for a fourth day as recent turmoil sparked by concerns over the impact of artificial intelligence subsided, though gains were tempered by a muted response to Nvidia Corp.'s upbeat sales forecast. We heard from Kieran Calder, Head of Equity Research for Asia at UBP. He spoke to Bloomberg TV hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.