The war in Iran has upended energy markets and exposed vulnerabilities in fossil fuel supply chains. Consumers and governments now show sharp interest in clean energy technologies, from electric vehicles and rooftop solar panels to heat pumps and induction stoves. Fighting has nearly halted oil exports......
Asia-Pacific governments have launched urgent fiscal programs, fuel subsidies and liquidity injections to steady markets rocked by the Middle East war. The conflict pitting the United States and Israel against Iran disrupts energy supplies and undermines economic confidence across the region. A Reuters......
Japan is preparing to temporarily relax restrictions on coal-fired power plants as it seeks to manage the impact of the ongoing global energy crisis linked to tensions in the Middle East. Government officials confirmed that the plan involves adjusting existing environmental rules that were originally......
US and Israeli military strikes on Iran since February 28 have thrown Asia's $19 billion used car export industry into disarray. Ships avoid the Middle East, stranding cargoes at sea and overwhelming ports from Sri Lanka to China. Dealers feel the impact acutely. Umar Ali Hyder Ali runs Yokohama-based......
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol on Wednesday to request an additional coordinated release of oil stockpiles. The move aims to safeguard Japan against potential disruptions from the ongoing Middle East conflict. Japan had......
Government bond markets across Asia have come under heavy pressure as the conflict involving Iran drives oil prices higher and prompts a sharp withdrawal of foreign capital. Yields have climbed across major economies, reflecting rising inflation risks and shifting expectations for global monetary policy. In......
Japanese authorities stepped up warnings on Monday as the yen weakened toward the key level of 160 against the US dollar, raising the likelihood of direct market intervention. Atsushi Mimura, Japan’s top currency official, said the government is prepared to act if exchange rate volatility continues,......
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index fell sharply by nearly 5 percent on Monday, losing more than 2,600 points as escalating conflict in the Middle East triggered a broad selloff across Asian markets and intensified concerns over a prolonged energy-driven inflation shock. South Korea’s Kospi dropped......
A Chinese academic report is calling for Beijing to scale back its massive foreign exchange reserves, including its holdings of US Treasury bonds, arguing that the rising global role of the yuan could replace many functions traditionally supported by large dollar reserves. The report, published by the......
European Central Bank policymakers are considering a possible interest rate increase as energy-driven inflation risks intensify, marking a shift from earlier expectations of monetary easing. Five major central banks kept interest rates unchanged this week in a coordinated pause reflecting growing uncertainty......
The US dollar is on track for its steepest weekly decline since late January, falling about 1.1 percent against major currencies as other leading central banks signal tighter monetary policy while the Federal Reserve holds back. The shift reflects a rapid change in global policy expectations following......
Asian stock markets fell sharply on Thursday as escalating attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf pushed oil prices higher, while the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan held interest rates steady amid rising economic uncertainty. Oil prices jumped after strikes targeting key facilities across......
Global financial markets declined on March 18, 2026, after stronger than expected US producer price data and a cautious Federal Reserve stance reinforced concerns about persistent inflation and slowing growth. Major US stock indices posted significant losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped......
