Rises in trading in Asia; the KOSPI index soars and trading in it is temporarily halted

Asian stock markets opened with sharp gains, led by South Korea's KOSPI index which surged 3.8% and had its trading temporarily halted. China released surprising October trade data showing a 41.6% jump in imports. On Wall Street, a recovery was seen after Thursday's crash, and oil prices continue to fall amid hopes for a political settlement between the US and Iran.

Asian stock markets opened this morning with sharp gains, led by South Korea's KOSPI index which surged 3.8% and was even temporarily halted due to excess demand. Japan's Nikkei index crossed the 60,000-point mark with a 2.5% rise. China released surprising October trade data: imports jumped 41.6% and exports 35.2%, both above forecasts, but the trade surplus narrowed to $105.3 billion. On Wall Street, futures are trading mixed, after indices saw a sharp recovery yesterday: the S&P 500 rose 2.4% and the Nasdaq 2.7%, following Thursday's crash that wiped out nearly $3 trillion. Oil prices continue to fall amid optimism for a political settlement between the US and Iran, with analysts warning that the declines are based on hope rather than concrete progress.