Japanese Stocks Fall as Trump Vows Hormuz Blockade After Failed Iran Talks
Japanese stocks fell at the start of the trading week following the breakdown of US-Iran negotiations, amplified by Trump's vow of an immediate U.S. Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.The Nikkei 225 opened lower by 502.7 points, or 0.9%, at 56,421.46.Brent crude breached the $100-mark again amid fears the US blockade would disrupt energy flows through the strategic waterway.Trump, on his social media post, declared that Washington would intercept any ship that paid Tehran for secure transit through the strait and would also remove any mines present in the waterway.Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command stated that American forces would enforce a halt to all maritime traffic entering or departing Iranian ports starting Monday at 10 a.m. New York time.Friday's economic data revealed a sharp rise in U.S. consumer prices - the largest since 2022 - though the core inflation reading was relatively moderate, along with a decline in consumer sentiment.