Asian Stocks Poised for Record-Breaking Quarter Amid Dollar Surge

Asian stock markets are poised to end the quarter on a high note, with Japan's Nikkei and South Korea's KOSPI set for record-breaking gains. The Nikkei is expected to rise by over 36% in the quarter, while the KOSPI will see a nearly 65% increase. Despite some wobbling at the end of the period, Asian stocks have largely shrugged off concerns about war and instead been driven by strong economic growth.

The oil market's worries about conflict have subsided, with Brent crude futures falling to pre-war prices of $72.49 a barrel. This has led Kerry Craig, strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, to say that the current trend is one of 'more trend-like growth around the world relative to sub-trend.'

The dollar's rise has had significant effects on other markets, pushing gold to its largest quarterly fall in over a decade and driving the yen to a four-decade low. Japan's Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has stated that authorities are prepared to respond if necessary.