Asian stocks rally as Mideast tensions ease, oil retreats

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks rebounded on Thursday and oil beat a retreat, as the United States and Iran backed away from the brink of further conflict in the Middle East and investors reversed their safety plays. U.S. President Donald Trump responded overnight to an Iranian attack on U.S. forces with sanctions, not violence. Iran offered no immediate signal it would retaliate further to a Jan. 3 U.S. strike that killed one of its senior military commanders. Japan's Nikkei opened 1.6%..