Asian stocks rose for a third day running on Wednesday as weak U.S. economic data bolstered investor hopes for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut next month.
Gold hit a two-week high as the dollar and U.S. Treasury yields eased on rate cut expectations. Oil recovered some ground after closing at a one-month low in the previous session on signs a Ukraine-Russia peace deal is getting closer.
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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.