Asia markets mixed; South Korea scales record high

June 01, 2026 (MLN): Asian markets traded mixed on Monday, with South Korean stocks advancing to fresh record levels, while investors remained cautious amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding negotiations between the United States and Iran.

The benchmark KOSPI climbed 1.31% to a new all-time high, supported by strong gains in technology shares. Meanwhile, the small-cap KOSDAQ fell 1.58%.

Shares of Samsung Electronics surged more than 3%, reaching a record high and providing significant support to the broader market, according to CNBC. 

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 edged up 0.17%, while the broader TOPIX slipped 0.3%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.21%.

Among individual movers, shares of SoftBank Group gained 5% after the Japanese conglomerate declared plans to invest €45bn ($53bn) over the next five years to develop artificial intelligence infrastructure in France.

Chinese markets presented a mixed picture, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rising 0.73%, while mainland China's CSI 300 eased 0.32%.

Market sentiment was also influenced by developments in U.S.-Iran relations. Speaking in an interview aired over the weekend, Donald Trump said negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with Iran had yet to produce a final agreement.

He reiterated his administration's objective of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and indicated that while a diplomatic solution remained preferable, military options could be reconsidered if talks fail.

Investors also took cues from Wall Street, where U.S. equities ended last week at record highs. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 0.2% to close at 26,972.62, while the S&P 500 gained 0.22% to 7,580.06.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 363.49 points, or 0.72%, to finish at 51,032.46.

Lower crude oil prices and continued strength in technology stocks helped lift investor sentiment, allowing all three major indexes to reach fresh record intraday highs during the session.

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