Asia-Pacific Markets Expected to Drop; Oil Prices Rise Amid Conflict Escalation

Asia-Pacific markets are anticipated to decline as the Middle East conflict enters its fifth week. Yemen's Houthi movement reported firing missiles at Israeli military sites, marking a new phase in the ongoing war. In early trading, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.94%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 futures were lower than the previous close of 53,373.07. Oil prices increased by 2.58%, reaching $102.19 per barrel. U.S. futures for the Dow dropped by 253 points (0.6%), with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 each losing 0.5%. The broader market index has declined for five consecutive weeks, losing 2.1% during that time.