South Korea's Kospi surged to record highs for the second day, closing 1.69% higher at 5,170.81 following U.S. President Donald Trump's conciliatory remarks on tariffs. 'We will work something out with South Korea,' he reportedly stated. The Kosdaq also rallied, jumping 4.7% to 1,133.52. Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific markets presented a mixed picture, diverging from the U.S. where the S&P 500 hit a new record, up 0.41% to 6,978.60, bolstered by gains in tech giants like Apple and Microsoft.

Japan's Nikkei 225 ended slightly positive, climbing to 53,358.71, but the Topix fell 0.79% to 3,535.49. The yen strengthened against the dollar, hitting a low of 152.08 amid speculation of intervention. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index increased by 2.58%, led by energy stocks, while the CSI 300 index in mainland China rose 0.26% to close at 4,717.99. Conversely, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.13% to 8,929.9, breaking a three-day winning streak, following a report of the country’s inflation reaching its highest level in six quarters.

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Southeast Asia faced turmoil as Indonesia's Jakarta Composite plunged 8% after MSCI warned of a potential downgrade to frontier-market status. Investors cited ongoing concerns over shareholding structures and trading behaviors that could distort pricing. On the commodities side, spot gold prices set a new record at $5,255.71 per ounce. In the U.S., the Nasdaq climbed 0.91%, while the Dow Jones fell, losing 408.99 points.

Market reactions reflect the intricate balance between geopolitical reassurance and economic uncertainty. The Kospi's ascent is a clear indication of investor confidence, but mixed performances in other regions highlight a cautious global outlook.