Dow Jones Top Markets Headlines at 11 PM ET: Oil Falls, Asian Equities Rise on Tentative Hopes of Middle East Resolution | Asian ...

Oil Falls, Asian Equities Rise on Tentative Hopes of Middle East Resolution

Oil retreated while Asian equity markets rose early Wednesday amid improving risk sentiment on hopes of a resolution to the Middle East conflict.

----

Asian Economies Walking Tight Rope Between Solid Momentum, Emerging Risk

Growth in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to hold up, supported by tech-oriented economies and sectors, despite the energy shock unleashed by the Mideast war, S&P Global Ratings said.

----

Australia's Inflation Cooled Slightly in February

SYDNEY-Australia's inflation eased slightly in February, but remained well above the central bank's target range, keeping the door open for a further rise in interest rates.

----

The Oil Supply Crunch Is Spreading From the Gulf to the Rest of the World

Unless peace talks pan out fast, traders say high prices for specific Mideast crude cargoes will soon cascade to the U.S. and elsewhere.

----

Software stocks fall as fear of AI disruption is back in full force

A new release from Anthropic's AI agent Claude has revived fears that software will no longer be needed to complete certain tasks.

----

BOE Should Be Prepared to Act Despite Uncertainty, Says Pill

The Bank of England should not allow uncertainty to delay efforts to contain a rise in inflation as energy prices surge in the aftermath of the attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, Chief Economist Huw Pill said Tuesday.

----

Big Returns From AI Investments Are Here, CFOs Say

Executives at WSJ's CFO Council Summit say they are seeing efficiency and productivity gains.

----

Bank Regulators' Overhaul Is Credit Negative, Moody's Says

Regulators are seeking to water down requirements for capital that banks must hold on their balance sheets.

----

The World Is Panicked Over Oil. Canada Sees Opportunity.

Asia could become a prime buyer of Canadian energy.

----

Global Business Activity Slows as Iran War Weighs

The war has driven up energy prices and uncertainty, while a cooling of new orders points to longer-lasting harm if the conflict continues or escalates.

----

U.K. Will Stick to Budget Rules In Tackling Energy Crisis, Treasury Chief Says

Treasury chief Rachel Reeves said the U.K. government is planning for every contingency, and would not repeat the mistakes of 2022 and 2023.

----

Wall Street Enlists a Marine Veteran to Take On Mamdani's Tax Hikes

Steven Fulop has warned the New York City mayor that higher taxes could cause business elites to flee.

----

NYSE Partners With Securitize to Develop 24/7 Tokenized Securities Platform

Under the exchange's plan, stocks would trade as digital tokens.

----

Japan Consumer Inflation Rises at Slower Pace

Japan's consumer prices rose at a slower pace in February, potentially affording the central bank more time to consider raising rates further amid heightened geopolitical risks.

----

Big Banks Are Playing Both Sides of the Private-Credit Meltdown

Private-credit funds' exposure to software has come back to bite them, presenting new risks and opportunities for banks.

----

EU and Australia Sign Free-Trade Agreement, Security Deal

The European Union and Australia agreed to a free-trade deal and security partnership, the latest move by U.S. allies to rethink their economic and military relationships at a time of rapidly growing geopolitical uncertainty.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 24, 2026 23:15 ET (03:15 GMT)