The Korea Times
Korean stocks opened higher Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump hinted that an end to the monthlong war in the Middle East could be near. After opening 1.33 percent higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 63.11 points, or 1.15 percent, to 5.541.81 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Trump said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday (U.S. time) that the United States would be "out of Iran pretty quickly" and could return for "spot hits" if necessary. In a post on Truth Social, Trump also said Iran's "new regime president" has asked for a ceasefire, though Iran's foreign ministry dismissed the claim as "false and baseless." Trump was scheduled to deliver a public address at 10 a.m. (Seoul time) on the Middle East conflict. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.48 percent, while the Nasdaq composite advanced 1.16 percent. The S&P 500 went up 0.72 percent. The conflict, which began in late February following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, has driven up global oil prices amid supply disruptions, rattling financial markets and fueling concerns over
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