Asian shares little changed as Iran war keeps oil prices elevated

Published Aug 17, 02:49 AM UTC

On August 17, 2026, Asian shares showed minimal movement as ongoing conflict involving Iran kept oil prices elevated. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan remained flat. Japan's Nikkei rose 0.4%, while Australian shares slipped 0.3%. The market stability occurred amid stalled progress towards peace talks and continued halting of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route. The geopolitical tensions in the region, particularly the Iran war, are sustaining upward pressure on oil prices, influencing investor sentiment across Asian markets.