The Japan stock market on Thursday ended the three-day winning streak in which it had spiked almost 1,100 points or 1.8 percent to a fresh record closing high. The Nikkei now sits just above the 59,140-point plateau and it may see continued selling pressure 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.