MANILA, March 26 (Reuters) - Asian central banks moved to shore up market confidence on Thursday, with South Korea announcing a 5 trillion won ($3.3 billion) emergency bond buyback while the Philippines held a surprise policy meeting,

A prolonged Middle East conflict could cut economic growth in developing Asia and the Pacific by up to 1.3 percentage points through 2027.

Asia-Pacific markets were set to open lower Friday as investors parse the contradictory messaging on the Middle East from the U.S. and Iran.

Asian countries are burning more coal to keep power going as the war in the Middle East disrupts other fossil fuel supplies.

Nearly 40 nations — including the United States, Japan, South Korea and China — have joined a global push to triple installed nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Southeast Asia will account for nearly a fourth of the 157 gigawatts expected from "newcomer nuclear nations" by mid-century, according to the industry-backed World Nuclear Association.

India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and South Korea are all facing energy shortages as the Iran war starts to take a toll on Asian nations.

Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed after Iran signaled it had no intention of holding direct talks with the United States.

China’s No. 3 leader Zhao Leji called for the political settlement of international disputes, positioning Beijing as a stabilizing force at a regional forum as the continuing conflict in Iran threatens to upend the global economy.

Southeast Asia should be benefiting from China’s rise. Beijing has made the region’s growth a priority: Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s Maritime Silk Road—the nautical pillar of the Belt and Road Initiative,

The fallout of the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran and the subsequent effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has reached Asia with authorities from New Delhi to Manila implementing emergency measures to shield consumers from the mounting shortages and surging global oil prices.

Countries in Asia are scrambling to conserve energy and protect consumers as the war on Iran and attacks on gas fields and oil refineries disrupt critical suppl

Asia-Pacific markets tumbled Monday as investors weighed escalating tensions in the Middle East after the U.S. and Iran threatened to intensify military hostilities.