European stocks declined on Friday amid signs that the U.S. and Iran have made little progress toward de-escalating the Middle East conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed, keeping oil prices elevated and raising concerns that tensions may persist for longer than expected.
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Business News
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.