The Hong Kong stock market has finished lower in consecutive trading days, dropping more than 575 points or 2.2 percent along the way. The Hang Seng Index now rests just above the 25,915-point plateau and it's got another weak lead for Friday's trade.
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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Market Analysis
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.