LIVE | Asian stock markets bounce back, but oil prices continue to rise
Amid renewed and intensified US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran's retaliation against its neighbors and the Jewish state, more Western countries send troops and aircraft carriers to the area.
TheUSS Gerald R. Ford, during Operation Epic Fury.
The US-Israeli war against Iran reaches its sixth day with new exchanges of attacks, each time more intense and precise. The Trump administration took the conflict to international waters, with the sinking of an Iranian frigate off Sri Lanka, and Tehran increased the radius of the conflict with the launch of a missile against Turkey that was intercepted by NATO. Despite the differencesamong Western countries over Spain's refusal to cede its bases to U.S. aircraft, troops and aircraft carriers continue to arrive in the region.
Although markets began to rebound since Wednesday, a trend that continued in Asia on Thursday,oil - albeit more moderately - continues its price escalation.
The times correspond to Eastern Time.
Spain announces sending a frigate "for protection" to Cyprus
Despite the Spanish prime minister's "no to war" to justify his refusal to cede the Rota to Moron bases to U.S. fighters, Spain will send its most advanced frigate to protect Cyprus after a drone attack on a British base on the Mediterranean island dragged it into the Middle East war, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.
The Christopher Columbus will join the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and Greek Navy ships to "provide protection and air defense" and "support any evacuation of civilians," the ministry said in a statement.
Asian stock markets bounce back, but oil prices continue to rise
Asian markets relaxed after Wall Street rose in New York on Wednesday, which brushed asideinflationary fearsrelated to the Middle East conflict and welcomed better-than-expected U.S. economic data.
Seoul's Kospi indexled gains after closing with a 9.63% gain, a spectacular recovery after a historic 12% plunge the day before. Japan's Nikkeigauge also advanced and closed up 1.9%, after losing 3.61% on Wednesday.
TheChinese stock markets rose moderately during the session (Hong Kong by 0.15% and Shanghai by 0.51%), after announcing the growth target for this year - between 4.5% and 5% - the most modest in three decades.
However, concerns over the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian attacks on energy facilities of its neighbors caused the price of crude oil to continue to rise on Thursday in Asian trading.
About 06:30 GMT (12:30 AM Florida), the price of a barrel of Brentexpectedly climbed 3.22% to $84.09. The barrel of North American West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was still up 3.78%, to $77.45.
Sirens sound again: massive attacks on Tehran, Jerusalem, Doha and Bahrain
The beginning of the sixth day of conflict was again starred by sirens warning of new attacks. Doha and Bahrainsuffered heavy explosions, as did Tehran, target of Israeli aviation and Jerusalem, destination of a new wave of Iranian drones and missiles.
Another country added to the war: Iranian drone hits an airport in Azerbaijan
A drone launched from Iranian territory hit a building at an airport in the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhichevan, local media said Thursday.
Two drones crossed from Iran, and one of them exploded at Nakhichevan airport, an Azerbaijani enclave located between Armenia, Turkey and Iran, media outlet Report said, without giving further details.
China asks its refineries to suspend exports to avoid shortages
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The Communist government in Beijing has asked its major refiners to suspend exports of diesel and gasoline because the war poses the risk of a supply shortage, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
Italy and Australia join UK and France in sending troops and war materiel to Middle East
Despite reluctance,more and more countries are deploying military forces in the Middle East. Although, so far, none has joined the attacks by Israel and the US, the arrival of aircraft carriers, planes or anti-aircraft material to collaborate in the protection of the Gulf countries and the Western troops and civilians in the region.
For Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloniannounced the dispatch of "air defense (...) because there are tens of thousands of Italians in that area and about 2.000 soldiers that we have to protect."
For its part, Australia deployed two aircraftas part of its contingency plan.
Everything that's happened in the Iran war so far, here
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