Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.36%, Shanghai Composite down 0.71% Hang Seng up 1.14% ASX down 0.34%
- Commodities : Gold at $5,024.21 (-0.73%) Silver at $80.505 (-0.96%), Brent Oil at $104.56 (1.38%), WTI Oil at $97.75 (0.92%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.262, UK 10-year yield at 4.8270, Germany 10-year yield at 2.9768
News & Data:
- (USD) Prelim GDP q/q 213K to 214K expected
- (USD) Core PCE Price Index m/m 213K to 214K expected
Markets Update:
Asia-Pacific markets declined on Monday as investors reacted to rising oil prices and the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. Concerns about supply disruptions pushed crude prices higher, increasing uncertainty across global financial markets.
U.S. crude prices briefly crossed the $100 per barrel level as the Trump administration considered potential military strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island, a key oil export hub often described as the country’s “oil lifeline.” By 8:10 p.m. ET, U.S. crude was trading nearly flat at $98.7 per barrel, while Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 0.48% to $103.7 per barrel.
President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iranian military assets located on Kharg Island on Friday and warned that additional attacks on nearby oil infrastructure could follow. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz reiterated the warning on Sunday, adding to market concerns about further escalation in the region.
According to Goldman Sachs, the rise in energy prices triggered by the conflict could reduce global GDP growth by around 0.3% over the next year while raising headline inflation by approximately 0.5% to 0.6%. Higher natural gas prices may also intensify inflation pressures and slow economic growth, particularly in Europe and Asia, especially if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
Regional stock markets reflected the uncertainty. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 0.3%, China’s CSI 300 dropped 0.31%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.07%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.44%.
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The post Monday 16th March 2026: Asia Markets Fall as Oil Prices Surge on U.S.–Iran Tensions first appeared on IC Your Trading Edge | Official Blog.