Asian stock markets are trading mostly lower on Friday, following the broadly negative cues from Wall Street overnight, as hopes for a speedy resolution to the Middle East war faded after Tehran vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until the port blockades by the US remain, raising concerns of surging crude oil prices and long-term inflation. Asian markets ended mostly lower on Thursday.
Concerns about a re-escalation of the U.S.-Iran war also weighed on the markets after US President Donald Trump ordered the US Navy to "shoot and kill any boat" that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.
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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.