Asian stocks declined on Friday as renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran lifted crude oil prices and revived inflation worries.
The U.S. and Iran traded fire in the Strait of Hormuz and accused each other of carrying out attacks in the sharpest confrontation since the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire came into effect on April 7.
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Market Analysis
May 01, 2026 15:54 ET Central banks dominated the economics news flow this week with almost all major ones announcing their latest policy decisions and many boosted expectations for a rate hike in June. In other news, several countries released the preliminary data for first quarter economic growth. In the U.S., comments by Fed Chair Jerome Powell were also in focus as his term ends this month.