Ahead of Monday's holiday for Marine Day, the Japanese stock market had alternated between positive and negative finishes through the last four trading days since the end of the three-day losing streak in which it had dropped more than 360 points or 0.9 percent. The Nikkei 225 now sits just beneath the 39,820-point plateau although it's likely to tick higher again on Tuesday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets offers little clarity as investors wait and see what happens with tariff deadlines. The European and U.S. markets were mixed and little changed and the Asian bourses are expected to open in similar fashion.
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Market Analysis
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.