Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia Edition

President Donald Trump said the war in Iran is “very close” to completion, even as he signaled strikes could escalate in the near term.

Trump in a rare prime-time address on Wednesday cast the war as a success, saying the operation had nearly achieved its military goals, including destroying Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, air force, navy and industrial base. He said those steps would prevent Tehran’s proxies from destabilizing the region and cut off the country’s path to nuclear weapons.

“Tonight I’m pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” Trump said from the White House in a roughly 20-minute speech. “We are going to finish the job. and we’re going to finish it very fast, we’re getting very close.”

The speech came as the president is grasping for an off-ramp in a conflict that has quickly slipped out of control.

For instant reaction and analysis, Bloomberg Radio host Doug Krizner speaks with Bloomberg This Weekend co-host Christina Ruffini and Bloomberg White House and Washington correspondent Jeff Mason.
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President Donald Trump said he foresaw the US ending the war on Iran within two to three weeks, suggesting the US had largely accomplished its military goals and would leave it to other nations to resolve issues with the Strait of Hormuz. Wall Street rallied today on optimism that the war that has jolted global markets and disrupted energy supplies may be nearing a conclusion. We spoke to Ross Mayfield, Investment Strategist for Baird Private Wealth Management.
And for more on President Trump's latest comments on war in Iran, we heard from Jessica Genauer, Academic Director of the Public Policy Institute at the University of New South Wales. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn.
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Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week.
In the US – a look ahead to the March jobs report in the U.S and a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead.
In the UK – a look ahead to the upcoming South Africa Investment Conference.
In Asia – a look ahead to South Korea shareholder meetings.

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Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.
The White House insisted that peace talks with Iran are ongoing, even as Tehran publicly rejected US overtures and issued fresh conditions of its own to end the conflict that's wreaked havoc across the Middle East and global markets. For more, we heard from Rosemary Kelanic, Middle East Program Director at Defense Priorities. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn
Plus - The Asia Pacific Financial and Innovation Symposium is underway in Melbourne. Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts speaks exclusively to Sam Sicilia, CIO at Hostplus, one of Australia's biggest superannuation funds.
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Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.
Oil declined and equities advanced as optimism strengthened around Washington's diplomatic push to resolve the near month-long Middle East conflict. We heard from Todd Jablonski, CIO and Global Head of Multi-Asset and Quant at Principal Asset Management. He spoke to Bloomberg's David Ingles and Yvonne Man.
Plus - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to restarting talks with Beijing on a joint oil and gas project in a disputed area of the South China Sea, saying the war in Iran may provide the impetus for a breakthrough. He spoke exclusively to Bloomberg's Haslinda Amin.
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