Asian Markets Trade Cautiously as Investors Await US and Iran Nuclear Negotiations
Asian markets trade cautiously today as investors await nuclear talks between the US and Iran. Weak Japanese growth and RBA rate warnings also weigh on sentiment.
Asian financial markets across China 
CN, Hong Kong 
HK, Singapore 
SG, Taiwan 
TW, and South Korea 
KR traded cautiously in holiday-thinned conditions on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Investors are focused on the primary trigger for the day: nuclear negotiations between the United States 
US and Iran 
IR scheduled to begin in Geneva later this afternoon. These talks are considered significant as they could change the geopolitical risk premium in the oil market and influence regional market and policy reactions.
CN, Hong Kong HK, Singapore SG, Taiwan TW, and South Korea KR traded cautiously in holiday-thinned conditions on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Investors are focused on the primary trigger for the day: nuclear negotiations between the United States US and Iran IR scheduled to begin in Geneva later this afternoon. These talks are considered significant as they could change the geopolitical risk premium in the oil market and influence regional market and policy reactions.The cautious sentiment in the region was accompanied by mixed oil price movements and shifting bond yields. In Japan 
JP, market participants also contended with softer-than-expected GDP data, while in Australia 
AU, the financial community remained observant of the evolving global landscape. The thin trading volumes typical of a holiday period served to highlight the underlying sensitivity to the upcoming diplomatic efforts in Europe.
JP, market participants also contended with softer-than-expected GDP data, while in Australia AU, the financial community remained observant of the evolving global landscape. The thin trading volumes typical of a holiday period served to highlight the underlying sensitivity to the upcoming diplomatic efforts in Europe.
