U.K. stocks are firmly placed in positive territory a little past noon on Thursday amid optimism about U.S. and Iran agreeing on a peace deal later this week.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview on Wednesday that the Middle East conflict was "very close to over," fueling market optimism that peace talks could resume, and a resolution be found.
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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.