Asia markets navigate geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns. Asian-Pacific stocks posted mixed results Wednesday as investors digested hotter-than-expected April inflation data while monitoring escalating Middle East tensions. President Trump signaled a harder line on Iran, stating the ceasefire was on "massive life support," with Defense Secretary Hegseth indicating military action could resume without congressional approval. Oil prices extended declines, with West Texas Intermediate futures falling 0.97% to $101.15 per barrel and Brent crude dropping 0.80% to $106.90. Regional markets showed varied performance: South Korea's Kospi surged 2.63%, Japan's Nikkei gained 0.84%, while Australia's ASX slipped 0.46%. China's CSI 300 rose 1.02% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng edged up 0.15%. Investors also focused on the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting where trade discussions loom large. U.S.
