Asian stocks ended mostly lower on Wednesday as Middle East tension flared again and regional inflation data underscored persistent price pressures. Traders also awaited cues from key U.S. CPI data that might show inflation at a three-year high in May.
The dollar was steady, while gold prices tumbled below $4,200 an ounce after an American helicopter was downed over the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. struck Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites in retaliation.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.