Asian stock markets are mostly higher on Thursday, following mixed cues overnight from Wall Street. Markets are positive after the minutes from the US Federal Reserve's latest monetary policy meeting indicated the central bank plans to maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy despite massive stimulus packages. Asian markets closed mostly higher on Wednesday.
However, traders continue to be cautious amid the surge in coronavirus cases in the region and extension of lockdown restrictions in several markets.
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April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.