Oil prices climbed further 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, raising concerns that tensions may persist for longer than expected.
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April 24, 2026 15:15 ET Economics news flow was relatively light this week even as the conflict in the Middle East continued, raising concerns for policymakers. In the U.S., spending data, initial jobless claims and pending home sales were the highlights. Business confidence in the biggest euro area economy was in focus in Europe. Inflation data from Japan gained attention in Asia.