Most Asia equities fell and oil prices rose on Friday after Donald Trump ratcheted up Middle East tensions by hinting at possible military strikes on Iran if it did not make a “meaningful deal” in nuclear talks.
The remarks fanned geopolitical concerns and cast a pall over a tentative rebound in markets following an AI-fueled sell-off this month.
Traders are also looking ahead to the release of US data later in the day that will provide a fresh snapshot of the world’s top economy.
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A slew of forecast-beating figures over the past few days have lifted optimism about the outlook but tempered expectations for more interest rate cuts.
