Refinitiv on the 27th quoted a US official saying Iran launched missile and drone strikes against neighboring states including Bahrain and Kuwait; there have been no reported US casualties and US facilities in the Middle East sustained no significant damage.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australia’s headline inflation is expected to peak near 4.25% mid-year, below prior forecasts, as lower oil prices and progress in Middle East talks support disinflation. He said he hopes a ceasefire will hold and warned Middle East uncertainty—particularly risks around the Strait of Hormuz—keeps inflation higher than expected, although recent progress has been more pronounced than anticipated. Chalmers declined to give a core inflation forecast—the RBA’s key policy metric—but said core inflation is also "moving forward" and that Treasury will update its forecasts mid-year.

China's National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has approved construction of a national-level intellectual property protection center in the Xiong'an New Area. The center, now in preparatory stages, will target next‑generation information technology and advanced materials. Once operational it will provide a one‑stop platform for rapid pre-examination, expedited confirmation of rights and accelerated enforcement, and aims to cut average patent grant times by about 70% to speed protection of corporate innovation in the covered sectors.