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Japan Shares Fall on BOJ Tightening Bets Amid Hormuz Tensions

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Japanese shares closed lower on Monday as expectations that the Bank of Japan could tighten policy to support the yen and curb inflation lifted sentiment, after comments from Japan's trade minister pointed to potential rate hikes to counter price pressures linked to the Iran war.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions with Iran following the collapse of weekend peace talks.

The Nikkei 225 fell 0.74%, or 421.34 points, to close at 56,502.77.

Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's top trade negotiator at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, was responding to a proposal raised during a television programme that a stronger yen could help ease rising crude oil import costs.

Akazawa said such a policy direction could be considered as one option while assessing its impact on the broader economy, adding that the central bank's 2% inflation target was within reach even as real interest rates remained low.

On the corporate front, Renova (TYO:9519) shares rose 5% after it reported March electricity sales beat plan and jumped on year, with limited impact from output curtailment.

The Shikoku Bank (TYO:8387) shares gained 6% after it unveiled a three-year plan targeting higher profit and improved capital efficiency through digital transformation.

Sakura Internet (TYO:3778) shares climbed 7% after it secured a 3.8 billion yen generative AI infrastructure order expected to support earnings.

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US Equity Indexes Mixed as Investors Await Iran Peace Talks, Red Hot Inflation Lifts Treasury Yields

US equity indexes were mixed in the final leg of trading on Friday, ahead of the high-stakes Iran peace talks in Pakistan and as a red-hot inflation report lifted government bond yields.The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.3% to 22,900.3, while the S&P 500 fell 0.1% to 6,816.7 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.5% to 47,931.5.If a peace deal is not reached this weekend at Pakistan-brokered negotiations in Islamabad, the US is prepared to renew and intensify strikes on Iran, US President Donald Trump said, according to a CNN news report. The war in the Middle East drove up the US inflation rate threefold in March amid soaring gasoline prices, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, reportedly said talks cannot start until the US meets two conditions: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of blocked Iranian assets. Ambassadors from Israel, Lebanon, and the US will hold talks in Washington, DC, on Friday to set the table for future negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, an Israeli official and a source familiar with the talks told CNN.US Vice President JD Vance, setting off for US-Iran talks, said Washington is "willing to extend the open hand" this weekend but warned Tehran not to "try to play us," The Wall Street Journal reported.West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures fell 1.6% to $96.27, and Brent crude futures slid 1.4% to $94.68, moving between gains and losses on Friday as Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon and a severely restricted Strait of Hormuz risked the Iran ceasefire deal ahead of the talks.In US economic news, the consumer price index accelerated to its highest monthly reading in nearly four years, rising 0.9% in March, in line with expectations. Energy prices jumped about 11% sequentially in March, led by a 21% surge in gasoline, accounting for almost three-quarters of the headline increase, the Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed.US Treasury yields rose, with the 10-year up 2.2 basis points to 4.32% and the two-year climbed 1.6 basis points to 3.80%.

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Japan

US Equity Indexes Mixed as Fragile Iran Truce Holds, Hot Inflation Print In Line With Outlook

US equity indexes were mixed in midday trading Friday as a fragile Iran ceasefire deal looked set to hold until peace talks kick off in Pakistan, while a red-hot inflation read was in line with market expectations.The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.4% to 22,913.3, while the S&P 500 was slightly down at 6,823.6 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.4% to 47,979.1.Vice President JD Vance, setting off for US-Iran talks in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, said Washington is "willing to extend the open hand" in this weekend's negotiations but warned Tehran not to "try to play us," The Wall Street Journal said.A key aim of the talks is to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran is "doing a very poor job" of letting oil flow through and cautioned the country against collecting tolls from ships traveling through the strategic waterway, the report said.West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures advanced 0.9% to $98.82. Brent crude futures were little changed at $95.67.In economic news, the US consumer price index accelerated to its highest monthly reading in nearly four years, rising 0.9% in March but in line with expectations, as the Middle East conflict sent energy prices sharply higher. Energy prices jumped about 11% sequentially in March, led by a 21% surge in gasoline, accounting for nearly three-quarters of the headline increase, the Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed.

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Japan

US Equity Futures Flat Pre-Bell as Fragile US-Iran Ceasefire Causes Wariness Among Traders

US equity futures were flat pre-bell on Friday as traders were wary of the fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were flat, S&P 500 futures were up 0.1%, while Nasdaq futures were 0.2% higher.The Strait of Hormuz remains shut, while Israel continues to exchange fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, even with the US-Iran talks scheduled on Saturday morning in Islamabad. Israel has said it would start talks with the Lebanese government targeting to disarm Hezbollah and end attacks in the nation.Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.1% at $95.99 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.2% higher at $98.06 per barrel.The March consumer price index, scheduled for release at 8:30 am ET, is seen coming in at 0.9% for February, compared with 0.3% reading in January, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment for April is expected at 51.5%, down from 53.3% previously, and the February factory orders release is seen coming at negative 0.2%, compared with 0.1% previously.The two reports are scheduled at 10 am ET.

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