Oil heads for $100, Asia stocks subdued as Middle East tensions escalate

Oil prices surged past the $100 mark on Wednesday as Middle East tensions escalated, causing Asian stock markets to remain cautious. The recent attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have further complicated matters, with U.S. forces targeting Iranian oil tankers in response. Inflation concerns loom large, especially in anticipation of US consumer price data release.

The yen strengthened against the dollar, reaching a nearly seven-month high, driven by anticipation of a faster Bank of Japan rate hike and potential capital repatriation. The euro also edged higher ahead of the European Central Bank’s decision on Thursday, with expectations of a rate hike amid inflationary pressures.

Brent crude futures rose more than $1, reaching a four-day high of $99.49 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was also up $1.60 to $94.63 per barrel. Stock markets in Sydney, Hong Kong, and mainland China saw declines, while some regional benchmarks managed to rebound. Japanese Nikkei rose 0.6%, following a 1.7% drop the previous day.

South Korea's KOSPI gained 1.6%, and Taiwan's TAIEX increased by 0.6%. Japanese cable makers experienced a surge after Verizon and Corning announced a deal on high-density optical fiber.

Semiconductor stocks witnessed a rebound overnight, with the Philadelphia SE index jumping 1.3%. Despite declines on Wall Street, overall market sentiment remains indecisive, with tight ranges and consolidation patterns observed. Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone, stated that Brent crude signals market sentiment effectively and reaching $100 now appears highly achievable. Inflation worries have pressured global equities, while bond yields have risen as traders price higher odds of central bank tightening.

US CPI data is due on Friday, with traders giving a 50/50 chance of a quarter-point hike or a hold from the Federal Reserve in the following week, while anticipating a quarter-point increase from the BOJ two days later. The yen strengthened around 0.2% to 153.66 per dollar, edging closer to its recent high of 152.89. The ECB is expected to raise euro zone rates by a quarter point on Thursday.

Sterling remained relatively stable, while the Australian dollar edged up slightly. Bitcoin and gold also experienced minor gains, reaching $78,680.60 and $4,368 per ounce, respectively.