Middle East Tensions: Asian Stocks Track Wall Street Decline as Israel Weighs Response to Iran Attack

Asian stocks retreated as concerns over escalating Middle East tensions led to a search for safer investments, with U.S. futures rising and oil prices falling. The attack by Iran on Israel, the first of its kind, had a limited impact on global markets. The U.S. dollar rose to a 34-year high against the Japanese yen, and the retreat in Asia followed a decline on Wall Street, driven by worries about interest rates and inflation. Treasury yields fell, gold prices rose, and a report indicated sinking consumer sentiment and rising inflation expectations in the U.S.