Most Asia-Pacific stock markets declined in trading on Friday (March 27, 2026), following volatile movements on Wall Street the previous night, amid uncertainty surrounding messages related to the Middle East conflict involving Donald Trump and Iran.

According to CNBC.com, Trump decided to extend the deadline for the planned attack by 10 days until April 6 to allow room for negotiations. The decision was reportedly made at the request of the Islamic Republic of Iran as part of efforts to ease tensions.

Trump stated that the extension was granted in exchange for 10 oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz as a “gift” from Tehran. He also emphasized in a post on Truth Social that the delay was intended to create an opportunity for a diplomatic resolution.

In his statement, Trump said that discussions are still ongoing and progressing very well, despite differing reports from the media. However, Washington expressed its intention to end the conflict through negotiations, while Tehran denied any direct communication with the United States.

Oil prices had risen on Thursday before weakening again as signs of progress toward a US-Iran peace agreement emerged. West Texas Intermediate crude for May delivery fell 1.3% to $93.29 per barrel, while Brent crude closed at $108.01 per barrel.

In Asia, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.42% in early trading. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.9% and the Topix dropped 0.4%.

In South Korea, the Kospi plunged 3% and the Kosdaq fell 1.5%. Meanwhile, Hang Seng Index futures stood at 24,782, lower than the previous close of 24,856.43.

In China, market participants are awaiting the release of industrial profit data for the first two months of 2026, which is expected to provide an early indication of the manufacturing sector’s condition. This data is considered important amid intense competition and weak demand.

Meanwhile, US futures markets moved higher as concerns over rising oil prices eased. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 175 points or 0.4%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures each gained nearly 0.4%.

However, major Wall Street indices closed lower in the previous session. The S&P 500 fell 1.7%, marking its largest daily decline since early 2026, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.4% into correction territory, and the Dow Jones declined 1.01%.