Less optimistic was Kristalina Georgieva of the International Monetary Fund, who warned of a prolonged period of flux as the war, kicked off by U.S. and Israeli air strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader, tests global economies.
There were no fresh signals of a diplomatic off-ramp to the hostilities or improved security for ships trying their luck across the Strait of Hormuz. Instead the Republican-led Senate voted to block a resolution aiming to stop the air war on Iran, which launched a fresh wave of missiles at Israel.
Even so, markets seemed split. Asian shares surged, led by a recovery in South Korea's KOSPI. Oil prices continued their climb, while gold, the classic safe-haven asset, also rose.
China's closely watched National People's Congress got underway with a host of announcements and plans. The nation's shares reacted positively to a slightly slower growth target that signalled a shift towards rebalancing the economy and boosting consumption.
Stock futures for Europe and the U.S. started off with gains before reversing course and pointing to declines when those markets open.
