Global Markets Under Pressure from Inflation Concerns
Global markets remained under pressure as oil prices surged on escalating Middle East tensions and persistent inflation concerns. Wall Street ended mixed, with the S&P 500 marginally down 0.04%, the Dow Jones closing 0.57% lower.
Oil prices persist, with Brent crude rising above $120 per barrel, while the dollar gains attention amid demand for a safe haven. Investors locked in US Treasury yields ahead of the US Fed rate decision.
European markets extended declines, with the FTSE 100 dropping 1.16% and the Euro Stoxx 50 falling 0.34%, hit by higher energy prices and downbeat earnings from financial and industrial giants.
Global indices closed broadly lower in the latest trading session, with the Nasdaq Composite leading decliners, falling 0.9%, while the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged lower.
The weakness was driven by concerns around AI-related earnings expectations, which weighed on semiconductor and broader technology stocks.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 declined amid stalled U.S.-Iran peace talks and rising oil prices, which pressured sentiment, while Germany’s DAX also closed lower, reflecting broader caution across the region.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined, dragged by broad-based technology weakness following the Bank of Japan’s decision to hold rates steady and revise down its growth outlook amid lingering inflation risks tied to the Middle East conflict.
Against this trend, China’s Shanghai Composite advanced, supported by gains in coal and property stocks alongside policy measures aimed at strengthening energy security and cushioning the economy from external pressures.
In Asia-Pacific trade, the Hang Seng Index is down 1.22%, the Nikkei 225 is down 1.32%, and the ASX 200 is down 0.52% so far amid renewed cost pressures. MTN Hits All-Time High as Buyers Price in Earnings Beat
