TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly rose Monday and oil prices plunged after U.S. President Donald Trump said talks on ending the war with Iran are progressing.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 3.1% in morning trading to 65,321.56. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.4% to 8,692.70. The Shanghai Composite edged up 0.4% to 4,127.53.
Trading was closed in South Korea and Hong Kong for holidays marking Buddha's birthday. Trading will be closed in the U.S. on Monday for Memorial Day.
Trump said negotiations with Iran were “proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner.” Meanwhile, regional officials told The Associated Press on Sunday that the United States is close to reaching a deal with Iran that would end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium,
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz will help decide the direction of oil prices. The closure has prevented oil tankers from exiting the Persian Gulf and delivering crude to customers worldwide. Japan, for instance, imports almost all its oil, most of it through the strait.
“Markets are rapidly transitioning from pricing geopolitical fear toward pricing a potential peace dividend as Hormuz reopening expectations pressure oil and the dollar lower,” analyst Stephen Innes said in a commentary.
Early Monday, benchmark U.S. crude was down $4.35 at $92.25 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, sank $4.16 to $99.38 a barrel.
In currency trading, the U.S. dollar declined to 158.80 Japanese yen from 159.16 yen. The euro cost $1.1641, up from $1.1605.
Friday On Wall Street, stocks finished their eighth straight winning week, the best such streak since 2023. That’s even though a survey showed U.S. consumers are feeling even worse about the economy.
The S&P 500 added 0.4% and pulled closer to its all-time high set in the middle of last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.2%.
Recent earnings reports from U.S. companies that topped analysts’ expectations also helped markets. But worries about inflation have pushed bond yields higher worldwide.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.56% Friday from 4.57% late Thursday, but it remains well above its 3.97% level from before the war.
AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed to this report.
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama
Specialist Michael Pistillo wears pants adorned with American flags as he works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
A board above the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange displays the closing number for the Dow Jones industrial average, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
FILE - A person stands in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index, seen through the glass wall of an office building in Tokyo, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi headed into the World Cup break a bit earlier than planned, and now it'll be Argentina waiting to see if there's an injury to worry about.
Messi — who almost never gets subbed out of matches — left in the 73rd minute, meaning he was long gone before Luis Suárez's third goal of the night helped lift the defending MLS champions past the last-place Philadelphia Union 6-4 on Sunday night.
No preliminary diagnosis of any issue for Messi was immediately announced. Messi has dealt with hamstring issues at least two other times during his three-year stint with Inter Miami.
Messi had two assists and Germán Berterame scored twice during a record-setting first half for Inter Miami. But Messi basically took himself out of play in the 71st minute and reached toward his left hamstring at least once, then didn't even venture toward the Inter Miami bench when he could be subbed out.
Messi was replaced by Mateo Silvetti, then left immediately through the tunnel connecting the field with the team’s locker room. Messi was walking under his own power, albeit slowly, and without any team medical personnel with him.
Suárez got the go-ahead goal in the 81st minute. Rodrigo De Paul, on his birthday, scored in stoppage time to seal the win for Inter Miami.
Heavy rain began falling early in the second half, causing some players to seem to slip on the turf. It wasn't clear if Messi's departure was precautionary or not, and it didn't seem like he took any major missteps during the worst of the rain.
Messi has said in the past that he would only play in the World Cup if healthy. Argentina starts group stage play on June 16.
Milan Iloski had a first-half hat trick — including two penalty kicks — and Bruno Damiani also scored for Union, which was up 2-0 only 10 minutes into the match. That start set the stage for the teams to be tied at 4-4 at the half.
The eight goals by halftime was an MLS record, the league said.
Inter Miami (9-2-4, 31 points) enters the break second in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Nashville (10-1-3, 33 points). Inter Miami is also fourth in the Supporters’ Shield standings — a trophy that Philadelphia won last season.
The Union won’t be winning that this season. Not even close.
They’re at the bottom of the league, a stunning first-to-worst collapse and head into the break with seven points — at 1-10-4.
"It's beautiful, it's fun to be a part of the game, it’s fun to sing a national anthem and obviously to see Messi and all these greats so close to me, it’s an honor," said Grammy-nominated and Latin Grammy-winning singer and Miami resident Luis Fonsi, who performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” pregame. "I’m a fan and I’m enjoying every bit of it.”
He was asked what it's like to share the field with Messi.
“He’s a lot more known than me — times a million," Fonsi said.
Messi has already appeared in five World Cups, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player twice — first in 2014, then again in 2022 when he led Argentina to the title. That award has been given out only since 1982, but he is the lone player to win it twice.
Argentina is in Group J for the World Cup. Its group stage matches: Algeria, at Kansas City, on June 16; Austria, at Arlington, Texas, on June 22; and Jordan, back in Arlington, on June 27.
If Argentina wins that group — and the defending champions would be heavily favored to do so — then Messi would play a Round of 32 match in Miami Gardens on July 3. The only other way for Messi to play in South Florida during the tournament would be if Argentina is in the third-place match on July 18.
Of course, all that is contingent on whether Messi plays. And that would now seem to be in at least some question.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) walks to the corner of the field to take a corner kick during the second half of an MLS soccer match against Philadelphia Union, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami forward Germán Berterame (19) celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the first half of an MLS soccer match against Philadelphia Union, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami forward Luis Suárez celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the first half of an MLS soccer match against Philadelphia Union, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) drives downfield under pressure from Philadelphia Union midfielder Ben Bender (16) during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake (18) deflects a corner kick from Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) comes under pressure from Philadelphia Union midfielder Jovan Lukic (4), midfielder Cavan Sullivan (6), and midfielder Danley Jean Jacques (21), during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
