Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 2.37%, Shanghai Composite down 0.07%, Hang Seng down 0.39% ASX down 1.41%
- Commodities : Gold at $5,377.01 (1.24%) Silver at $90.275 (1.65%), Brent Oil at $79.37 (2.06%), WTI Oil at $72.36 (1.64%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.045, UK 10-year yield at 4.3710, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7081
News & Data:
- (USD) ISM Manufacturing PMI 52.4 to 51.7 expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets are trading mostly lower on Tuesday, tracking mixed cues from Wall Street and rising concerns over the escalating Middle East conflict. While early losses reflected caution, some investors used the dip to accumulate stocks at lower levels. Crude oil prices have surged following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, which reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader. The spike in oil has revived inflation worries and strengthened expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve may keep interest rates higher for longer.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting several Middle Eastern nations, while Israel has struck Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. The heightened tensions have weighed heavily on regional sentiment.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 has fallen below 9,100, dragged by mining and energy stocks despite gains in select technology shares. Major miners and oil producers are under pressure, though some tech stocks have advanced. Japan’s Nikkei 225 is sharply lower, led by declines in exporters, automakers, and financial stocks, even as a few tech names posted modest gains.
Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea and Taiwan are down sharply, while parts of Southeast Asia are modestly higher. On Wall Street, major indices recovered from steep early losses to finish mixed. Oil prices surged over 6 percent amid supply disruption fears.
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The post Tuesday 3rd March 2026: Asian Markets Slide as Middle East Tensions and Oil Surge Rattle Investors first appeared on IC Markets | Official Blog.