Asia-Pacific Markets Retreat; Oil Prices Rise 3.5% Amid Middle East Uncertainty

Asia-Pacific markets experienced a pullback on Tuesday as oil prices increased, with Brent crude futures for May rising over 3.5% to $103.7 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate futures climbing 4% to $91.72 per barrel. This rebound follows a notable sell-off, where Brent crude fell nearly 11% to around $99 per barrel after a prior peak exceeding $112. Japan's consumer price index fell to 1.3%, marking the lowest since March 2022 and below the central bank's target of 2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 631 points, or 1.38%, closing at 46,208.47.