Inflation rose for a second consecutive month as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran continued to drive gasoline prices higher in April.

The United States and Japan agree that excessive volatility in currency markets is undesirable, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, comments interpreted as indirect support for Tokyo’s recent intervention to strengthen the yen.

Former Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said that Japan’s recent foreign-exchange intervention may have prevented the yen from falling beyond 160 per dollar, but is unlikely to have a lasting impact on the currency.

Just as an AI-driven boom in business investment bolstered US economic growth earlier this year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index rose Thursday on renewed investor optimism, closing higher at 6,015.03, up 68.25 points or 1.15%.

Chinese analysts say Beijing wants to “extend the current trade truce, ease sanctions and technology restrictions, and potentially secure assurances that the US will pull back on arms sales to Taiwan.”

Silver prices are rising, copper recently hit a record high, and gold has lagged behind as investors increasingly focus on metals tied to AI infrastructure growth.

China’s producer prices exceeded expectations in April, rising to a 45-month high as elevated global energy costs increased pressure on manufacturers already facing weak domestic demand.

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil has announced the discovery of a major oil field in the southern province of Najaf near the Saudi border.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index declined further on Wednesday as investors remained unconvinced that peace efforts in the Middle East would hold. The benchmark index closed at 5,946.78 points, down 25.20 points or 0.42 percent.

The Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) initiative, launched in April 2024 by the Philippines, the United States, and Japan to accelerate development in the strategic corridor linking Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas, has welcomed seven new partner countries.

The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has risen to $4.52, up 6 cents from last week and significantly higher than $3.14 a year ago.

Oil prices climbed after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to his latest peace proposal, prolonging disruptions in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

Hopes for a peace agreement between the United States and Iran weakened, increasing concerns that the global energy crisis could persist and forcing Washington to consider potential military measures to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index declined anew on Tuesday, closing at 5,971.98 points, down 14.87 points or 0.25 percent, as investors reacted to economic pressures and fears of renewed hostilities in the Middle East that could dampen consumer spending and business activity.

President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran may have unintentionally accelerated the global transition toward renewable energy.

A drone strike briefly set a cargo vessel ablaze in the Persian Gulf, marking the latest shipping attack to test a fragile ceasefire as the United States awaits Iran’s response to a proposal aimed at ending 10 weeks of war.

President Donald Trump is reportedly considering allowing China to make a massive investment in the United States despite opposition from some advisers.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index rose on Monday, but investor caution persisted as peace talks between Iran and the United States appeared to make little progress, reflected in muted trading turnover.

China recorded faster export growth in April as factories rushed to meet demand from AI-related industries and buyers stockpiling components amid fears that the Iran war could push global input costs even higher.

Major U.S. banks reported strong trading revenues during the first quarter of 2026 as volatility linked to the Iran conflict boosted activity across financial markets.

As households and businesses worldwide grapple with rising energy costs linked to the Iran conflict, several major oil and gas companies have reported strong earnings driven by volatile energy markets.

The intensifying rivalry between the United States and China is often viewed through the lens of potential military conflict, particularly the so-called “Thucydides Trap,” which warns of war between a rising and an established power.

A panel of federal judges has ruled that President Donald Trump acted unlawfully when he imposed a 10% tariff on most U.S. imports, dealing a setback to the administration’s trade agenda.