Asian markets mostly rose on Tuesday with Tokyo closing at a record high on speculation over a snap election, while concerns about Iran pushed oil prices higher. The rallies followed another record finish on Wall Street overnight, where investors shrugged off worries about a US criminal probe of the Federal Reserve central bank. Takaichi became Japan’s first woman prime minister in October and her cabinet has an approval rating of around 70%. Broad optimism over the global economy and technological advances such as artificial intelligence have buoyed market sentiment in recent months. Oil prices rose after US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on any country trading with Iran, ramping up pressure on Tehran over its violent crackdown on a wave of protests.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 13, 2026 10:04 UTC