3 weeks ago
Asian Stocks Edge Higher on US Jobs Data; Oil Climbs
This article is about money, stock markets, and oil.
There is a big group in the United States called the Federal Reserve that helps decide how expensive it is to borrow money.
It was thinking about making borrowing more expensive in September, but a new report showed that the US job market was a little weaker than people expected.
Because of that, fewer people now think the Fed will raise rates soon, and investors felt happier.
Happier investors pushed stock markets in Asia higher on Monday, with Japan's main market up 0.6 percent and South Korea's up 0.5 percent.
At the same time, oil became more expensive because a very important waterway called the Strait of Hormuz is not fully open for ships.
Iran said it is close to a deal with Oman about new shipping lanes, but it says the strait will only fully reopen after the United States meets other conditions.
When oil costs more, many other things can cost more too, which worries the Fed.
Later this week, a new report about prices in the US will help investors guess what the Fed will do next.
Asian stock markets rose on Monday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 up 0.6%, South Korea's Kospi up 0.5%, and MSCI's Asia-Pacific index outside Japan up 0.3%.
A soft US jobs report cut the futures market's implied probability of a September Federal Reserve rate hike to about 44%, from 67% a week earlier.
Brent crude rose 0.9% to $84.32 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude gained 0.7% to $78.74 as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained at a trickle.
Iran said an agreement with Oman to define new shipping lanes through the strait was in its final stages, but reiterated the waterway would reopen only after the United States met other conditions.
Attention turns to the US consumer price index report due Wednesday, with analysts expecting headline prices to rise 0.1% and core inflation 0.2% in July.
- Who
- Global investors, the US Federal Reserve, Iran, Oman, and the United States
- What
- Asian stock markets rose on softer US jobs data while oil prices climbed on persistent uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz
- Where
- Asia-Pacific markets, the United States, and the Strait of Hormuz
- When
- Monday, August 10, 2026, ahead of the US consumer price index report due Wednesday
- Why
- Weaker-than-expected US jobs data reduced expectations of a September Fed rate hike, while uncertainty over reopening the Strait of Hormuz kept oil prices elevated
Iran's Position on Hormuz Reopening
Market Concern Over Shipping Disruption
Conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Position on Hormuz Reopening
Iran says an agreement with Oman to define new shipping lanes through the strait is in its final stages, but reiterates the waterway would reopen only after the United States meets other conditions.
Market Concern Over Shipping Disruption
Shipping through the strait remains at a trickle and uncertainty persists, keeping oil prices elevated and adding inflationary pressure that complicates the Federal Reserve's policy decisions.
Key facts
- Nikkei 225
- +0.6%
- Kospi
- +0.5%
- Brent crude
- $84.32 per barrel (+0.9%)
- WTI crude
- $78.74 per barrel (+0.7%)
- September Fed rate hike odds
- About 44%, down from 67% a week ago
- 10-year US Treasury yield
- 4.673%
- Expected July CPI
- +0.1% headline, +0.2% core
- S&P 500 EPS growth
- Up about 30% year-over-year excluding Alphabet and Amazon investment gains
Quotes
Michael Feroli
Chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan
“"Our forecast for core CPI of 0.22% is probably not quite firm enough to prompt a hike from the Fed at the September meeting, though repeated prints closer to 0.3% could do it."”
news18.com
“"AI remains the stand out, with median EPS growth of 28% versus 12% for non‑AI related stocks, though consensus expects AI to slow to 16% next quarter."”
news18.com









