The Japanese stock market turned lower again on Thursday, one day after ending the four-day losing streak in which it had tumbled more than 2,675 points or 5.1 percent. The Nikkei 225 now sits just above the 52,460-point plateau and it's expected to see mild upside on Friday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is mixed to higher on conflicting messages about the status of the war in the Middle East. The European markets were down and the U.S. bourses were mixed and flat and the Asian markets figure to follow the latter lead.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.