AFP, Paris

Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war:

JAPAN RELEASES OIL RESERVES

Japan said it had started to release another part of its strategic oil reserves Thursday as it looks to temper the impact on the resource-poor nation from the surge in prices caused by the war.

Japan is the fifth-biggest importer of oil, with more than 90 percent of it from the Middle East.

OIL EDGES UP, EQUITIES MARKETS MIXED

Oil prices rose and equities were mixed Thursday as investors tracked mixed developments in the war.

With investors holding on to hope that a deal can be struck, oil prices have stabilised this week. Brent edged up 1 percent to trade at $103.25 a barrel at 0230 GMT. West Texas Intermediate rose 1.2 percent to $91.41 a barrel.

After gains on Wall Street and Europe, Asian markets fluctuated after a two-day rally.

RUSSIAN OIL ARRIVES IN PHILIPPINES

A ship carrying more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude oil has arrived in the Philippines, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP Thursday, days after the Southeast Asian country declared a national energy emergency over the Middle East war.

The Sierra Leone-flagged Sara Sky, bearing high-quality crude from Russia’s ESPO pipeline arrived on Monday, with documents showing the consignee as Petron Corp, operator of the Philippines’ sole oil refinery, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous as they were not authorised to speak to press.