South Korea's Finance Ministry expects 2026 average inf of 2.6%, up from a prior 2.1% forecast.

Okasan Securities economist Ko Nakayama said that with the Bank of Japan still holding large volumes of Japanese government bonds and foreign investor holdings below 20%, the Japanese government should avoid further expanding its debt. Analysts view a 20% foreign-holding threshold in JGBs as critical; breaching it could trigger sharp JGB yield volatility and weaken market stability. Nakayama said: “This is not only vital for short-term market confidence but also for preserving broader trust in JGBs.”

Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) said transit through the Strait of Hormuz is currently not feasible following recent hostile actions by the U.S. military. It said permit processing and application reviews will resume on schedule once stability and calm return. The PGSA said the only way to obtain a transit permit is via its website.