Asian equities were choppy Friday as investors digested a volatile U.S. session and escalating energy-security concerns tied to the Middle East war.

## What happened

Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed after Wall Street losses, with investors focused on the risk of prolonged energy supply disruption.

CNBC reported that Iran attacked a major gas plant in Qatar, with QatarEnergy’s CEO estimating **17% of LNG export capacity** could be offline for **three to five years**—a headline that kept risk sentiment fragile.

Key regional moves cited included:

* **Australia (ASX 200):** down about **0.4%**

* **Hong Kong (Hang Seng):** down about **0.6%**

* **China (CSI 300):** up about **0.4%**

* **South Korea (Kospi):** up about **0.6%**

Japan’s markets were closed for a public holiday.

## Energy and macro backdrop

Energy prices remained a central cross-asset driver:

* Brent fell back toward **$106/barrel** after a prior surge.

* U.S. gasoline futures hit a near four-year high.

On the macro side, China’s central bank kept benchmark lending rates unchanged for a 10th month, maintaining the **1-year LPR at 3%** and **5-year LPR at 3.5%**.

## What happened in the U.S.

Overnight, the major U.S. indexes declined:

* **Dow:** -0.44%

* **S&P 500:** -0.27%

* **Nasdaq:** -0.28%

U.S. equity futures were modestly higher afterward, suggesting dip-buying interest but not a full risk-on reversal.

## What investors are watching next

1. **Strait of Hormuz developments** and any signals on safe passage.

2. **Energy price pass-through** into inflation expectations and central bank messaging.

3. **Sector rotation** between defensives (staples, health care) and cyclicals (industrials, financials) as volatility persists.

## Bottom line

Asia’s mixed performance reflects a market caught between stabilization attempts and an energy-driven risk shock that can quickly reshape inflation expectations, profit margins, and global growth assumptions.