The Shibuya pedestrian intersection in Tokyo, Japan. Marco Bottigelli | Moment | Getty Images Large Japanese manufacturers indicated their highest level of business optimism in over four years, despite uncertainties brought about from the Iran war. That’s according to the Bank of Japan’s quarterly Tankan survey, a closely-watched poll that measures business sentiment among domestic…
Smoke emanates from smokestacks from an oil refinery in Linden, New Jersey, on March 18, 2026. Kena Betancur | AFP | Getty Images Crude prices extended gains during Asia trading as escalating attacks in the Persian Gulf and U.S. President Donald Trump‘s signals on exiting the Iran conflict even as the Strait of Hormuz remains…
IBARAKI, JAPAN – JUNE 17: Technicians at work in the clean room of the Fab Equipment at a semiconductor company, Renesas Technology Corp. on June 17, 2004 in Ibaraki, Japan. Renesas is the first company to produce semiconductor products from 300mm wafer in the world. (Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images) Koichi Kamoshida | Getty Images…
Gold rose on Thursday as the widening Middle East conflict drove investors towards the safe-haven asset, while a softer dollar also lent support to prices.Photographer: Damian Lemanski/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Gold edged higher on Tuesday morning, but the metal remained on course to notch its biggest monthly decline in…
Almonty’s tungsten mine in Sangdong, South Korea, in March 2026. Almonty BEIJING — The Iran war is squeezing a global commodities market already pressured by China’s export controls and stockpiling efforts. Prices of three niche elements — tungsten, sulfur and helium — have climbed sharply in recent weeks. While none of the commodities are traded…
A general view of the Port of Kharg Island Oil Terminal, 25 km from the Iranian coast in the Persian Gulf and 483 km northwest of the Strait of Hormuz, in Iran on March 12, 2017. Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images Oil prices reversed course to drop in early Asia trading as traders assess…
A view of missile traces launched from Yemen at Israel sighted in the sky over Hebron, West Bank, on March 28, 2026. Wisam Hashlamoun | Anadolu | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets opened lower Tuesday as the conflict in the Middle East keeps investors jittery, with crude oil prices continuing to rise. U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his…
In 1973, OPEC proclaimed an oil embargo on the U.S. for its decision to resupply the Israeli military during the Yom Kippur war. The embargo lasted until March 1974, and during this time oil prices quadrupled. To control supply, the federal government under Nixon rationed oil, by state, to 1972 levels. By February 1974, it…
Satellite view of Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Iran. Gallo Images | Gallo Images | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. will “completely” obliterate Iran’s electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz is not “immediately” reopened…
Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Monday, March 9, 2026. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images LONDON — European stocks rose on Monday morning despite investors grappling with a further escalation in the Iran war and fresh evidence of weaker economic sentiment. The…
