Asia-Pacific markets extend recovery as investors await Trump address on Iran war

Asia-Pacific markets ticked higher on Thursday, tracking similar moves on Wall Street as investors await an address by Donald Trump later in the day amid hopes that the U.S. president is looking to exit the Iran war.

Early Wednesday stateside, Trump claimed that Iran's "New Regime President" had asked the U.S. for a ceasefire, a claim that Tehran has denied.

Trump added that the U.S. will "consider" the offer only once the Strait of Hormuz was "open, free, and clear," he said on Truth Social.

Trump previously said he was willing to end the U.S. military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remained closed, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

Japan's Nikkei 225 inched up 0.78%, while the Topix saw a larger gain of 1.01%.

South Korea's Kospi rose 1.33% and the small-cap Kosdaq was up 1.14%.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 started the day up 0.45%, on pace for a third straight day of gains.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures were at 25,301, marginally higher than the HSI's last close of 25,294.03

U.S. stock futures were little changed, with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq-100 futures just above the flatline. Dow futures were up 13 points, or 0.03% higher.

Overnight in the U.S., the S&P 500 advanced 0.72%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.16%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.48%.

—CNBC's Lisa Kailai Han and Sean Conlon contributed to this report.