Asian markets end mixed on Tuesday

Asian markets ended mixed on Tuesday as Brent crude climbed above $91 a barrel after US President Donald Trump said that he was not interested in extending the interim peace deal with Iran, while rising US Treasury yields also kept traders cautious. Japanese shares dropped as Japan’s 10-year government bond yield climbed to a three-decade high as a stalemate in the Middle East conflict stoked inflation worries and reinforced speculation about ‌a near-term Bank of Japan interest-rate increase.

South Korea’s Kospi fell due to profit-taking after a sharp semiconductor rally, while ongoing US-Korea trade negotiations over the planned $200 billion investment commitment created uncertainty for Korean exporters. Meanwhile, Chinese shares gained as investors remained optimistic that a string of weaker-than-expected economic data would force Beijing to roll out aggressive new monetary and fiscal stimulus measures.