Asian Stocks Advance as Oil Prices Rise, U.S. Futures Edge Higher Asian shares advanced Friday following modest gains on Wall Street, while oil prices rose as efforts to end the Oil prices had eased Thursday in U.S. trading, alleviating pressure from the bond market as yields fell. U.S. futures edged higher and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was up 2.7% at 63,352.44. A report showed inflation hitting a four-year low in April, at 1.4%, despite higher prices for oil and gas due to the war. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.2% to 25,685.65, while the Shanghai Composite index climbed 0.5% to 4,096.24. Taiwan’s Taiex was trading 1.5% higher, while India’s Sensex edged up 0.2%. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 1.5% to $104.08 a barrel. It was around $70 per barrel in February before the war’s start. Benchmark U.S. crude traded 0.9% higher at $97.25 a barrel. Asian shares advanced Friday following modest gains on Wall Street, while oil prices rose as efforts to end the Oil prices had eased Thursday in U.S. trading, alleviating pressure from the bond market as yields fell. U.S. futures edged higher and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was up 2.7% at 63,352.44. A report showed inflation hitting a four-year low in April, at 1.4%, despite higher prices for oil and gas due to the war. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.2% to 25,685.65, while the Shanghai Composite index climbed 0.5% to 4,096.24. Taiwan’s Taiex was trading 1.5% higher, while India’s Sensex edged up 0.2%.Brent crude, the international standard, gained 1.5% to $104.08 a barrel. It was around $70 per barrel in February before the war’s start. Benchmark U.S. crude traded 0.9% higher at $97.25 a barrel."Markets are still searching for signs of progress in a potential deal between the US and Iran," ING commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a note on Friday. "While there are signs of optimism, uncertainty reigns.