A screen displays the Nikkei 225 Stock Average figure on the trading floor at the Nomura Securities Co. headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 11, 2024.
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Asia-Pacific markets were set to open mixed Monday as investors assess President Donald Trump‘s plan to “free” ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, amid lingering tensions between Iran and the U.S.
The U.S. would attempt to “free” stranded ships affected by the Strait of Hormuz closure since the start of the Iran war, Trump said in his Truth Social post Sunday.
Dubbed “Project Freedom,” the effort is set to begin on Monday, Middle East time and will focus mainly on getting civilian ships flagged in countries not affiliated with the conflict out of the contested waterway so they can “freely and ably get on with their business.”
“U.S. military support to Project Freedom will include guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members,” the U.S. Central Command said shortly after Trump’s announcement.
Oil prices fell following the announcement of “Project Freedom”. West Texas Intermediate futures for July delivery fell 0.59% to $101.34 per barrel as of 7:38 p.m. ET. Brent crude futures were 0.27% lower at $107.88 per barrel.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures were at 25,992, compared with the index’s last close of 25,776.53.
In Australia, futures last traded at 8,727, while the S&P/ASX 200‘s closed at 8,729.80.
Markets in Japan and China are closed for a public holiday.
