The Japan Times - Asian equities climb on Mideast optimism, oil edges higher

Investor sentiment stayed positive for a second straight day on hopes that diplomatic progress could stabilise energy supplies after weeks of turbulence from the Middle East conflict, even as crude prices ticked higher on the day.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said talks to end the war could progress, eyeing help from Pakistani mediators to help strike an agreement.

"I believe the Pakistanis will be travelling to Tehran today. So hopefully that'll advance this further," Rubio told reporters.

President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that negotiations were on the "borderline" between a deal and renewed strikes.

"If we don't get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We're all ready to go," Trump said.

A ceasefire agreed on April 8 halted weeks of fighting between the US-Israel alliance and Iran, but has yet to produce a lasting peace deal, leaving markets vacillating at every development.

Tehran said it was reviewing US proposals but warned of a "forceful response" to any renewed attack, as both sides exchanged terms under the threat of escalation.

A key sticking point remains the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively closed despite the ceasefire and normally transports one-fifth of global energy supplies.

In Asia, Tokyo led regional gains, with the Nikkei jumping more than two percent.

Taipei advanced nearly 1.5 percent, while Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur were all in the green.

The gains followed a cautiously positive session on Wall Street, where equities edged higher at the close.

Attention also turned to South Korea, where unionised workers at Samsung were poised to begin voting on Friday on a tentative wage deal that has averted a major strike.

The chip giant and its union reached the provisional agreement late Wednesday following last-minute, government-mediated talks, avoiding a planned 18-day strike that was set to begin on Thursday.

The prospective deal introduces a new bonus pool for employees in the semiconductor division, equivalent to 10.5 percent of the division's operating profit, to be paid in stock.

While workers are expected to benefit from the deal, some shareholders have voiced opposition, vowing to pursue legal action against it.

Shares in Samsung Electronics were trading more than 1.5 percent lower on Friday morning.

Elsewhere, Japanese government data showed core inflation slowed to 1.4 percent in April, coming in below market expectations as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi rushes to draft an extra budged to offset the impacts of the Middle East war.

Sentiment on Wall Street was boosted by Elon Musk's filing for a public sale of SpaceX shares, which could be the largest initial public offering in history as the rocket and satellite company seeks to raise up to $75 billion.

Despite strong profit growth, shares in chip giant Nvidia failed to rally, initially edging higher before closing down 1.8 percent.

Walmart also fell sharply, dropping 7.3 percent after issuing a cautious outlook and warning about pressure on consumers.

- Key figures at around 0215 GMT -

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.9 percent at $104.52 a barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.4 percent at $97.76 a barrel

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 2.1 percent at 62,996.19

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.6 percent at 25,531.90

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 4,083.24

Euro/dollar: DOWN at 1.1611 from $1.1622 on Thursday

Pound/dollar: DOWN at 1.3427 from $1.3439

Dollar/yen: UP at 159.08 from 158.91 yen

Euro/pound: FLAT at 86.48 from 86.48 pence

New York - DOW: UP 0.6 percent at 50,285.66 points (close)

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 10,443.47 (close)

K.Nakajima--JT