Asian stocks fell on Thursday, reversing course after a strong start to April as U.S. President Donald Trump flagged an escalation in the Iran war over the coming two-three weeks. 

The effectiveness of Malaysia's current policies is reflected in a projected economic growth of between 4.0 and 5.0 per cent for 2026, with headline inflation expected to remain moderate at 1.5 to 2.5 per cent, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Asian stocks rallied on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump flagged an end to the Iran war in the coming weeks, while dip-buying after bruising losses in March also aided local markets.

The World Trade Organization is unable to deal with the core challenges of the global trading system, but the U.S. is not ready to leave the body, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States could end its military operation against Iran within "two or three weeks," as concerns mount over the Middle East war's impact on oil prices and inflation.

U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly edged up in March, but households