Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.

Asian stocks fell as investors lightened their positions ahead of the weekend while awaiting progress on extending the US-Iran ceasefire, after a rally driven by expectations the truce would be prolonged. We spoke to Winnie Hsu, Bloomberg's Asia Equities Reporter.

Plus - President Donald Trump struck an optimistic tone for prospects that the US and Iran could clinch a permanent ceasefire as the two sides discuss an extended truce ahead of its expiration next week. "It's looking very good that we're going to make a deal with Iran, and it's going to be a good deal," Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday. Talks between Washington and Tehran could resume this weekend, he said. We heard from Will Todman, CSIS Chief of Staff of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department. He spoke to Bloomberg TV Hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.

Asian stocks tracked Wall Street higher as optimism around a potential US-Iran ceasefire and robust corporate earnings buoyed sentiment. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index opened 0.4% higher on Thursday as traders bet a de-escalation of the Middle East conflict will ease oil prices and lift economic growth. That was after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indexes both closed at record highs, with Bank of America Corp. and Morgan Stanley leading financials higher after stronger-than-expected revenue. We spoke to Paul Dobson, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Asia Markets.

Plus - The US and Iran are considering a two-week ceasefire extension to allow more time to negotiate a peace deal, according to a person familiar with the matter, reducing the risk of a resumption of fighting despite an intensifying standoff over the Strait of Hormuz. With the initial truce due to expire next week, mediators between the warring sides are seeking technical talks to overcome the most contentious issues preventing a longer-term agreement, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters. Those include the reopening of Hormuz and the future of Iran's nuclear program. We heard from Linda Robinson, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. She spoke to Bloomberg's Paul Allen and Shery Ahn.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.

The US is pressing ahead with a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to curb Iran's oil exports, with more than 20 commercial ships transiting the strait in the last day. For more on what this means for the supply chain, we heard from Steve Hochman, Partner and Managing Director for the Americas at Nagarro.

Plus - The US and Iran are looking to arrange a second round of peace talks in the coming days, while a standoff in the Strait of Hormuz worsens a global energy crisis and complicates diplomatic prospects. The objective is to hold more discussions before an April 7 ceasefire expires next week, according to people familiar with the matter. One proposal is to return to Pakistan, where initial negotiations were held last weekend, though other venues are being considered, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. For more, we heard from Mara Rudman, Miller Center Practitioner Senior Fellow and Former US State Department Deputy Envoy for Middle East Peace. 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 stocks advanced as interest in artificial intelligence shares resurfaced, with Middle East tensions appearing to ease after President Donald Trump raised hopes for talks with Iran. Oil fell. Helping sentiment, Brent crude fell 1.5% to $97.85 a barrel on signs Washington and Tehran may revive peace talks following the start of a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. For more on the oil story, we spoke to Stephen Stapczynski, Bloomberg's Asia Energy Team Leader.

Plus - the US and Iran are in discussions about holding another round of face-to-face negotiations after meetings in Islamabad over the weekend ended in failure, according to people familiar with the matter. The goal is to hold fresh talks before a two-week ceasefire announced April 7 expires next week, according to the people. We heard from William Roebuck, Former US Ambassador to Bahrain & Former US Deputy Special Envoy for the Global Coalition Against ISIS. He spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Haidi Stroud-Watts.

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.

• In the US – a look ahead to earnings from Netflix and a focus on three bank stocks for the week ahead.
• In the UK – a look ahead to the next election in Hungary.
• In Asia – a look ahead to Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's trip to China.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.

Asian stocks rose as investors positioned ahead of US-Iran ceasefire talks scheduled to take place in Pakistan this weekend. Traders are watching the shaky ceasefire and planned US-Iran talks for clues on the market's next move, with sustaining the rally depending on confidence that the truce holds and oil flows smoothly through the Strait of Hormuz. We spoke to Lianting Tu, Managing Editor for Asia Equities.

And for more analysis on the US-Iran talks ahead of this weekend, we heard from Jonathan Panikoff, Atlantic Council Director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. He spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South Korea could draw up another extra budget in the second half if crude oil disruption caused by the Iran war is prolonged. For more on how this affects the growth story in the tech sector, we spoke to Simon Woo, head of Korea research and head of APAC Technology coordinator at Bank of America Global Research.

Plus - The White House announced the US would hold direct talks with Iran even as continued fighting in the Middle East, punctuated by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, threatened to derail the fragile ceasefire in the six-week conflict. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Vice President JD Vance will lead a delegation to Islamabad, which would include special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The first round of talks is set for Saturday morning local time, even as the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed as of Thursday morning, falling short of a key US condition for the ceasefire. Sporadic fighting continued throughout the region, including in Lebanon, where Israel launched its largest assault on the country since the start of the latest conflict, escalating the campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah. Iranian officials cast that as violating the terms of the day-old agreement. We heard from Barbara Leaf, Arnold & Porter Senior International Policy Advisor and Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that’s expected to halt the American-Israeli military campaign in exchange for Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump announced the agreement Tuesday on social media hours after Pakistan, a mediator in talks, implored the US leader to back off his deadline to unleash massive devastation on Iran if it did not meet his demands. The deal buys time for the two sides to reach a longer agreement to end the six-week-old war, which has killed thousands of people and sparked a global energy crisis.

Trump said he had agreed “to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks” as long as Iran agrees to “the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”

For instant reaction and analysis, Bloomberg Radio host Doug Krizner speaks with:
- Bloomberg State Department and Foreign Policy Reporter Eric Martin
- Bloomberg This Weekend co-host Christina Ruffini
- Bloomberg White House and Washington correspondent Jeff Mason
- Terry Haines, founder of Pangea Policy
- Daniel Byman, Director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.