investingLive Asia-Pacific FX news wrap: Social media chatter drove some volatility

Asia‑Pacific markets saw a mostly quiet session on April 23, 2026, punctuated by a brief bout of volatility after unverified social‑media reports of an attack on Iran — oil spiked and equities dipped before both reversed as reports proved unconfirmed. The US dollar found modest footing through the session, while regional equity indices finished mostly lower despite a positive Wall Street close. Key macro moves included South Korea’s Q1 GDP beating forecasts on strong semiconductor exports and mixed PMI readings across Australia and Japan. The wrap underscores how fast unverified geopolitical chatter can move markets, while fundamentals (growth data, PMIs, central bank reference rates) continued to set broader flows.