<p><strong>Wall Street closed with mixed results Wednesday</strong> as markets reacted to a deeply divided Federal Reserve decision to keep interest rates unchanged, amid rising oil prices and anticipation of major tech earnings.</p>

<p><strong>Oil prices jumped more than 6% to a multi‑week high,</strong> driven by stalled US-Iran talks raising supply concerns and a larger-than-expected decline in US crude and fuel inventories.</p>

<p><strong>Japan’s factory output unexpectedly fell 0.5% in March from the previous month,</strong> weighed down by declines in chemical and petroleum production despite forecasts of growth.</p>

<p><strong>Philippine economic growth likely slowed in the first quarter as the Middle East conflict drove up oil prices,</strong> weighing on demand and putting the government’s growth targets at risk.</p>

<p><strong>The peso plunged to a new record low against the dollar,</strong> pressured by strong global dollar demand and surging oil prices amid Middle East supply concerns and expectations of prolonged high US interest rates.</p>