The South Korea stock market has moved higher in four straight sessions, surging almost 290 points or 4.4 percent on its way to a fresh record closing high. The KOSPI now sits just above the 6,475-point plateau although investors are likely to lock in gains on Friday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is soft on surging crude oil prices that correspond with tensions in the Middle East. The European markets were mixed and the U.S. bourses were down and the Asian markets figure to open lower.
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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.