창간 80주년 경향신문

New York stocks end higher on reports of U.S.-Iran contacts

Wall Street rose despite tensions in the Middle East, supported by reports of back-channel contact between the United States and Iran and by upbeat economic data.On the 4th local time at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 48739.41, up 238.14 points (0.49%) from the previous session.The S&P 500 index closed at 6869.50, up 52.87 points (0.78%), and the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite ended at 22807.48, up 290.79 points (1.29%).The three maj...

2026.03.05 11:08

KOSPI·KOSDAQ indices surge more than 10% early in the session…buy sidecar activated

On the 5th, both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ indices rebounded, rising more than 10% early in the session.As of 9:22 a.m., the KOSPI index was trading at 5660.80, up 567.26 points (11.14%) from the previous day.At the same time, the KOSDAQ index was trading at 1090.42, up 111.98 points (11.44%) from the previous day.At 9:06 a.m., a buy sidecar was activated simultaneously in the KOSPI·KOSDAQ markets.Kim Seok-hwan, a researcher at Mirae Asset Securities, said, “Based on the KOSPI index, the fi...

2026.03.05 11:08

Office of the Israeli Prime Minister “Iran strike, a historic achievement”

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the strike on Iran was a “historic achievement”.According to AFP, Shoshi Bedrosian, spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister, said in a video statement released on the 5th (local time), “Israel and the United States achieved a historic success together to protect their citizens and the civilized world”.As reasons the attack was necessary, the spokesperson cited that “Iran was rebuilding its nuclear weapons program in a ne...

2026.03.05 11:07

U.S., amid concerns over disruptions to crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz···“We have a series of measures to announce”

As concerns have grown about disruptions to crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz following U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, the U.S. government said it is preparing measures to stabilize the market.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a CNBC interview on the 4th (local time) that “We have a series of measures to announce.” Citing an announcement a day earlier that the U.S. government would provide insurance for oil tankers and cargo vessels operating in the Gulf, he said, “W...

2026.03.05 11:07

Global oil prices take a breather on news of U.S.·Iran ‘backchannel contacts’

On the 4th (local time), the fifth day since the United States began strikes on Iran, international oil prices paused their gains and took a breather. This followed reports of backchannel contacts aimed at negotiations between the two countries. Natural gas, which had been rising more steeply than oil, also eased.At the ICE Futures exchange, Brent crude futures settled at $81.4 per barrel, flat from the previous session. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also closed at $74.66, up 0.1% from the p...

2026.03.05 10:52

“The Iran strike is disgusting” Signs of rift in MAGA···Trump “I am MAGA”

Amid airstrikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, signs of a rift are emerging within U.S. President Donald Trump’s core base, ‘MAGA’ (MAGA·Make America Great Again). President Trump pushed back against criticism from the MAGA camp, saying, “MAGA is Trump itself.”Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson said on ABC on the 1st (local time), just after the strike on Iran, that the U.S. military’s operation was “disgusting and evil.” Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly said this war does not alig...

2026.03.04 18:16

After U.S. strikes on Iran··· will relations with the UK·Spain fracture?

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly condemned the United Kingdom and Spain for taking a passive stance as the Iran situation enters an escalation phase. Frictions with major European allies over U.S. military action against Iran are reemerging at the surface.On the 3rd local time, after meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House in Washington, D.C., Trump told reporters that he was strongly dissatisfied with the responses of the United Kingdom and Spain. He said, “Some ...

2026.03.04 17:10

‘Major shareholder ownership cap’ Digital Asset Basic Act final draft expected on the 5th

The final draft of the Digital Asset Basic Act (Virtual Asset Phase 2 bill), whose introduction had been delayed due to differences over the issuer of a won-denominated stablecoin and limits on major shareholder stakes in virtual asset exchanges, is expected to be finalized on the 5th after a party-government consultation.On the 4th, the Financial Services Commission held the first meeting of the year of the Virtual Asset Committee, chaired by Vice Chairman Kwon Dae-Young, and discussed key ...

2026.03.04 16:40

Between the Middle East and Europe, Cyprus, a strategic outpost, is being rattled again

European military power is massing on Cyprus, a small Mediterranean island nation of about 1.2 million people, roughly the size of Gyeonggi Province.Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, said on the 3rd (local time) on X that he had just spoken with the Cypriot president and had informed him the UK would dispatch helicopters with counter-drone capability and deploy HMS Dragon to the area.HMS Dragon is one of six Type 45 destroyers of the Royal Navy and carries about 200 crew. It is equ...

2026.03.04 16:34

“Mojtaba, son of Khamenei, chosen as the next Supreme Leader”···Will he speak for the hardline military, or become ‘the bin Salman of Iran’?

It has emerged that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by attacks from the United States and Israel, is the leading contender to be selected as his successor. Mojtaba has been a ‘gatekeeper’ exerting influence over the decisions of Khamenei, and he is buoyed by strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a hardline military force in Iran.The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 3rd (local time), citing an Irania...

2026.03.04 16:33