Japan to Return With Traders Optimistic on Iran: Markets Wrap

Asian equities were set to rise Thursday, tracking record highs on Wall Street, as optimism grew that the US and Iran were nearing a deal to end the conflict that had rattled markets and clouded the economic outlook.

Equity-index futures for Hong Kong, Australia and South Korea all rose, as did those for Japanese benchmarks as the country’s markets reopen after a holiday. The S&P 500 climbed 1.5% and the Nasdaq 100 rose 2.1% Wednesday as both indexes hit records, reflecting healthy risk appetite.