Asian stock markets are trading mostly higher on Monday, following the broadly positive cues from Wall Street on Friday, as traders remain cautious amid the uncertainty prevailing around the peace talks between the U.S. and Iran. Tensions in the Middle-East escalated over the weekend with Iran reportedly not ready for new face-to-face talks with the U.S., citing maximalist demands. Asian markets closed mostly lower on Friday.
Tehran also again closed the Strait of Hormuz because of the U.S.'s ongoing blockade of its ports. It had declared the Strait of Hormuz completely open to commercial traffic on the heels of the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
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.