Nikkei 225, Hang Seng Index, Kospi

Kazuhiro Nogi | AFP | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets opened lower Friday, as cautious optimism over the Middle East conflict tempered sentiment, diverging from Wall Street’s record-setting rally. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that the war in Iran “should be ending pretty soon,” reiterating rosy predictions about the end of the conflict. Hours earlier,…

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Small towns are powering e-commerce’s fastest-growing market, dominated by Amazon, Walmart unit

Hello, this is Priyanka Salve, writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to the latest edition of “Inside India“ — your one-stop destination for stories and developments from the world’s fastest growing large economy. Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart dominate India’s e‑commerce market. This week, I unpack why the U.S. giants are keen to expand in the…

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U.S. declares blockade ‘fully implemented,’ cutting off Iran’s seaborne trade ‘completely’

ANKARA, TURKIYE – APRIL 14: An infographic titled “US warships around the Strait of Hormuz” created in Ankara, Turkiye on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Yasin Demirci/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports is now fully into effect, “completely” cutting off Tehran’s international sea trade that…

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