Asian stocks ended mostly lower on Thursday as a sharp rise in oil prices on fears of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East overshadowed stronger-than-expected earnings from U.S. tech giants.
Sentiment was also shaped by the U.S. Federal Reserve's hawkish hold, as was widely expected, in the most divided FOMC vote since October 1992.
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Market Analysis
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.