Brent crude climbed to $99.50 per barrel after US strikes near Kharg Island

South Korean equity indexes posted gains as investors bet on artificial-intelligence growth and geopolitical risk. The Kospi index advanced one percent, driven primarily by surges in SK Hynix Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., the country's two largest semiconductor manufacturers. This local advance paralleled a 1.3% rise in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index in New York. In energy markets, Brent crude hit $99.50 per barrel, marking the highest level since July. The jump followed United States military strikes on tankers operating near Kharg Island, an oil-export hub in the Strait of Hormuz. These attacks have intensified fears that ongoing supply disruptions will persist as a conflict enters its seventh month. Financial analysts noted that such volatility complicates inflation forecasts and central bank decision-making. With a key US consumer-price report due this Friday, market participants are closely watching for potential shifts in Federal Reserve interest-rate expectations.