Markets fall as US-Iran tensions escalate
Global financial markets have come under pressure as tensions between the United States and Iran intensify, with the conflict now entering its fourth week. The situation has unsettled investors and pushed energy prices higher amid fears of further escalation. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei index dropped sharply by 3.5%, while South Korea’s Kospi plunged 6.5%, reflecting concerns over supply disruptions. European markets also declined, though more moderately, with London’s FTSE 100 falling 1.9% and major indices in Germany and France losing around 2%. At the center of the crisis is the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes. Iran has effectively restricted access to the strait following attacks by the United States and Israel in late February, raising alarm over global energy supplies. Oil prices reacted […]
