TOKYO -- Asian stocks showed mixed reactions on Wednesday morning as the standoff between the United States and Iran continues over the Strait of Hormuz even after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire with Tehran indefinitely.

BANGKOK -- Local authorities in Thailand's capital are teaming up with a major chemicals company to recycle the colorful water guns brandished by revelers during the nation's famous Songkran festival, turning them into naphtha and other key materials used to churn out plastics amid a global shortage sparked by the Iran war.

TOKYO -- Asian stocks opened lower before turning up on Wednesday morning as the standoff between the United States and Iran continues over the Strait of Hormuz even after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire with Tehran indefinitely.

TOKYO -- Japan's trade deficit amounted to 1. 71 trillion yen ($10.75 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2026, down 68.4% from the previous year, the Finance Ministry announced on Wednesday. Growth in exports helped improve the country's trade balance as the yen continued to weaken.

NEW YORK -- U.S. hotels have lowered room rates as much as 30% for June, when the North American World Cup soccer tournament kicks off, as surging ticket and travel costs appear to have discouraged soccer fans from attending.

TOKYO -- Japan's Advantest, a leading semiconductor test equipment supplier, has formed a strategic partnership with U.S.-based company Applied Materials to support chip development by clients.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government is in talks to invite Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Japan as a state guest as early as next month, Nikkei has learned, in what would be Tokyo's latest effort to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia.

TOKYO -- The government will work with the defense sector to boost domestic arms production following its lifting of a ban on weapons sales overseas, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told Nikkei, adding that the move will make it easier for defense contractors to predict future revenues in planning investments.

DALIAN, China -- Chinese authorities are trying to rein in competition over grades among young students in an effort to lighten the burden on parents and ease anxieties discouraging many people from having children.

TOKYO -- A second Japanese unit of American insurer Prudential Financial is suspected of seeing dozens of instances of misconduct by former employees, Nikkei learned Tuesday, on the heels of reports of misconduct that rocked a sister company here.