Asian stocks retreated and oil prices rose on Friday after missile and drone attacks strained the fragile ceasefire with Iran, prompting US retaliatory strikes on Iranian military facilities. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 1.1% to 62,174.12, after closing at a record high the previous day. SoftBank Group lost more than 5%.
Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea's Kospi fell 1.1%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 1.3%, and the Shanghai Composite shed 0.3%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 1.7%. Taiwan's Taiex and India's Sensex also declined.
Oil prices climbed, with Brent crude rising 1.1% to $101.13 per barrel, up from roughly $70 before the Iran war began. The US Central Command said it intercepted Iranian attacks on Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz, though no vessels were struck. President Donald Trump said the ceasefire was still intact.
On Thursday, US stocks pulled back from records, with the S&P 500 falling 0.4%. Whirlpool and Shack Shack shares sank after weaker-than-expected results. The dollar fell to 156.87 yen, while the euro edged up to $1.1729.
