Asian shares opened slightly lower Friday as renewed geopolitical tensions
pulled U.S. stocks and Treasuries down. A jump in oil ahead of Friday’s U.S.
jobs report reignited inf concerns. Markets are focused on the payrolls print
for fresh clues on Fed policy; stronger-than-expected employment could reinforce
the case for rates remaining higher for longer, while any further Middle East
escalation could lift energy prices and amplify volatility. UBS analyst Ulrike
Hoffmann said short-term risks persist, particularly if U.S. data stay firm, oil
continues to stoke inf worries, or markets keep pricing a more hawkish Fed path.
Interactive Brokers senior economist José Torres said Wall Street reversed after
the recent rally amid lingering uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz.
