Asian

• Sahibzada Farhan has been appointed as the captain of Pakistan's 15-man cricket squad for the 2026 Asian Games. • The tournament is scheduled to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, during September and October of this year. • The squad features four uncapped players—Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat, and Saad Masood—providing them an opportunity to debut on the international stage.

• Asian stock markets declined and oil prices rose following a series of military strikes launched between Iran and the United States. • In response to regional instability, Bank Indonesia held a surprise off-cycle meeting on Wednesday to increase interest rates and support the fragile rupiah. • Gold prices experienced a significant downturn, falling 2% to an 11-week low of $4,174.20.

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsAsian stocks have fallen sharply after Iran and the US exchanged their biggest round of fire since a ceasefire was agreed in April.The US launched strikes against Iran after Donald Trump blamed Tehran for downing a US army helicopter near the strait of Hormuz.On the former, Brent briefly fell below $90 for the first time since April 17th yesterday before partially rebounding after Trump vowed retaliation following Iran shooting down a US helicopter. On the latter, the Philly Semiconductor Index fell by as much as -8.62% intra-day before recovering to -1.93% by the close.Reflation is expected to continue in the near term due to the lasting impact of the war in Iran on imported energy costs, and of course the fading drag from from negative carry-over effect from last year, which most people forget.While oil and gas futures markets are no longer pricing in a further escalation in the Middle East, uncertainty surrounding the peace talks and the effective reopening of the strait of Hormuz appears likely to linger in the near term. Despite the acceleration in the annual rate, monthly momentum slowed noticeably, to just 0.5% m/m from 1.7% a month ago.9am BST: Deadline data for the CMA and Ofcom to report back to government on the Telegraph/Mail deal1.30pm BST: US inflation for May, forecast to rise to 4.2%2.15pm BST: Treasury Committee hearing on student loans Continue reading...

• Asian stock markets showed mixed results as technology shares rebounded following a period of heavy sell-offs on Wall Street. • South Korea's Kospi surged 3.5% to 7,743.65, driven by a 7.7% jump in SK Hynix after announcing a data center partnership with Nvidia, while Taiwan's Taiex rose 2.2% led by TSMC. • In contrast, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index declined 0.4% to 24,553.93, and oil prices retreated after a brief surge caused by geopolitical fighting.

• Analyst Shaun Fairon discusses the current dominance of US and Asian markets, with a specific focus on the performance of the technology and semiconductor sectors. • The update provides tailored insights for Australian expats regarding the latest movements across equity, property, and currency markets. • Experts Martin and Shaun analyze how upcoming economic data releases, interest rate decisions, and policy changes may impact global financial planning.

• Simply Wall St has identified three top Asian dividend stocks as attractive options for investors seeking a balance of stability and returns. • The recommendations come as global markets face a complex landscape of economic resilience and ongoing inflationary pressures. • These equities are highlighted for their potential to provide both growth and consistent income within the dynamic Asian market.

• Major Asian stock markets experienced a severe crash, with South Korea's KOSPI index suffering the most significant decline. • Trading on the KOSPI was officially halted after a 9% drop triggered a circuit breaker, while Japan's Nikkei 225 fell by 4%. • Other regional indices, including Hong Kong's Hang Seng, China's Shanghai Composite, Taiwan's TAIEX, and Australia's ASX/200, also saw steep plunges.