Trump's Iran Meeting Reveals Ongoing Tensions Ahead of Xi Jinping State Visit
Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump revealed that officials from the United States and Iran met at the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting came after Trump told the assembly that he would have to make a choice, including whether to 'annihilate' the Islamic Republic, if the sides fail to reach an agreement.
Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.1% on Wednesday, while Nasdaq futures were flat. The US dollar rose to 157.82 Japanese yen from 157.39 yen.
Oil prices declined after Trump's comments, with Brent crude dipping 0.3% to $98.99 per barrel and benchmark U.S. crude dropping 1.1% to $89.84 per barrel. Ewa Manthey and Warren Patterson of ING commodities strategists said oil prices are also easing due to reports that Saudi Arabia was working to restore its east-west pipeline, which was disabled in an attack.