United News of Bangladesh

Stock markets in Japan and South Korea climbed to record highs on Monday, driven by strong gains in technology shares and optimism over the global artificial intelligence boom, while uncertainty over the Iran war ceasefire kept oil prices elevated. Oil prices rose more than 2% as investors closely watched ongoing U.S.-Iran talks, including discussions on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas shipments. Asian markets broadly advanced, with Japan’s and South Korea’s benchmark indexes hitting new intraday records. The rally was led by technology stocks, as investors continued to bet on strong demand for AI-related industries. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose more than 1.3% and crossed the 67,000 level for the first time, reaching 67,231.28. Shares of SoftBank Group surged more than 9%, adding to recent record gains. In South Korea, the Kospi index jumped nearly 5% to an all-time high of 8,874.16. Shares of Samsung Electronics rose more than 9%. Official data also showed South Korea’s exports surged 53% in May, supported by strong global demand for semiconductors. Over the past month, Japan’s Nikkei has gained more than 12%, while South Korea’s Kospi has surged over 27%, reflecting strong momentum in regional equities. Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.9%, while China’s Shanghai Composite slipped slightly after weaker-than-expected factory activity data signaled slowing export demand. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 also edged lower, while Taiwan’s Taiex and India’s Sensex posted gains. Market sentiment remains influenced by uncertainty over the future of the Iran conflict. Investors are watching whether a proposed ceasefire extension will hold, even as optimism around artificial intelligence and corporate earnings continues to support global equities, including on Wall Street. Brent crude oil rose 2.4% to $93.33 per barrel in early trading, up sharply from about $70 in late February before the conflict began. U.S. crude also climbed 2.8% to $89.76 per barrel. On Friday, Wall Street indexes closed at record levels, supported by strong gains in major technology stocks. The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite all posted fresh highs, led by companies tied to AI-driven demand. In currency markets, the U.S. dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen, while the euro weakened slightly.

Iran has mocked US President Donald Trump with an AI-generated video after he extended a fragile ceasefire with Tehran, sparking a fresh wave of online trolling from Iranian accounts. The video, shared by the Iranian consulate in Hyderabad on X, satirises Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire at what he described as Pakistan’s request. The post captioned the clip saying, “How was the ceasefire extended? The video is getting viral in Iran.” In the 45-second AI clip, a digital version of Trump, along with Vice President JD Vance and others, is shown waiting at a negotiation table while Iran’s delegation never arrives. The AI Trump is seen posting on a social media platform, saying, “We are having very great negotiations with Iran.” The video then shifts to a meme-style sequence inspired by SpongeBob SquarePants, showing a “2,000 years later” time jump as the characters continue waiting. Later, the AI Trump appears frustrated and tells the empty seats that if Iran does not come to talks, the United States would bomb them. He then asks, “So where are the Iranians?” An aide then hands him a note that reads, “Shut up, Trump.” The clip ends with the AI Trump saying he will extend the ceasefire at Pakistan’s request before leaving the room, drawing laughter in the video. In reality, Trump has said he extended the ceasefire indefinitely following a request from Pakistan, arguing it would give Iran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the conflict. Iran, however, has said it is still undecided about returning to talks expected later this week in Pakistan’s capital. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, quoted by state media, said Tehran entered negotiations in good faith but accused the United States of lacking seriousness. Iran has also said it has not yet decided whether it will attend the next round of talks with Washington. With inputs from NDTV

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he is extending the ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request while waiting for a “unified proposal” from Tehran, even as U.S. forces continue blocking Iranian ports. The announcement came as uncertainty deepened ahead of the truce’s scheduled expiry on Wednesday. Washington and Tehran have both indicated they could return to fighting if no agreement is reached. The White House has also postponed Vice President JD Vance’s planned visit to Pakistan for a second round of talks, after Iran signaled reluctance to engage further for now. Trump said the ceasefire would remain in place “until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.” Earlier, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tehran has yet to decide whether to join negotiations in Pakistan and would only participate if it sees a realistic chance of progress. Since the conflict began, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and more than 2,290 in Lebanon. Death tolls also include 23 in Israel and over a dozen in Gulf Arab states, along with 15 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 U.S. service members across the region. Later Tuesday, Trump struck a combative tone in a post on his Truth Social platform after extending the ceasefire without a clear timeline for talks. He argued that Iran wants the Strait of Hormuz to remain open to export oil, warning that allowing this without a deal would undermine any future agreement. It remains unclear when or how negotiations in Islamabad might resume.

US President Donald Trump has indicated that military attacks could resume if a ceasefire with Iran expires next week without a deal. Speaking to reporters, Trump said the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place and warned that bombing could restart if negotiations fail. “I don’t know. Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain,” Trump said. “Unfortunately, we may have to start dropping bombs again.” At the same time, he expressed hope for a diplomatic outcome, saying he believes an agreement is still possible. Iran earlier said it had reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping but warned it could shut it again if the US continues its blockade on Iranian vessels and ports. Uncertainty remains over how freely ships can pass through the vital waterway, which handles about 20% of global oil shipments. The development comes as a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon appears to be holding. The recent conflict has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab countries. Thirteen US service members have also been killed. Trump also rejected any possibility of Iran imposing tolls or restrictions on ships using the Strait of Hormuz. “No way,” he said, making it clear that such measures would not be accepted.