Major indices across the countries tumbled in March but abruptly spiked in April upon the announcement of US-Iran peace talks, though the US Navy continues its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Record highs in the tech-heavy S&P 500 and strong US corporate earnings reaffirm the market’s resilience throughout the conflict, particularly for demand in technology.

Similarly, Asian markets tracked US gains and rallied in April; South Korea’s Kospi and Japan’s Nikkei were also driven by technology related optimism and de-escalation relief. Singapore’s central bank tightened monetary policy while the Bank of Japan cooled rate hike expectations. The situation in China remains mixed with continued weak domestic demand and an ongoing property sector drag, while local banks have outpaced broader market since the war broke out.

As markets rebounded and risk sentiment improved in April, we remain highly selective in stock selection while diversifying across markets, maintaining our disciplined, bottom-up approach to portfolio construction.