South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Singapore GDP Grows 5.7% in Q2 2026 as AI-Driven Manufacturing Boosts Economy 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
European Stocks Slip as Middle East Tensions and Hormuz Threat Rattle Markets 
Asian Stocks Slide as Oil Surge, U.S.-Iran Tensions and Fed Rate Bets Weigh on Markets 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
South Korea’s KOSPI Triggers Trading Curb as AI Chip Stock Selloff Deepens 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
Dollar Eases as Middle East Conflict, Fed Outlook and Japan Pension Policy Drive FX Markets 
Asian stock markets edged lower in early Tuesday trading after a sharp selloff on Wall Street rattled global investor sentiment. Heightened uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and rising geopolitical tensions weighed heavily on risk appetite across the Asia-Pacific region.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan reversed earlier gains, falling 0.2% after a six-session rally, with South Korean stocks leading regional declines. Japan’s Nikkei 225, however, climbed 0.7% as markets reopened following a public holiday. Meanwhile, S&P 500 e-mini futures ticked up 0.1%, signaling a cautious start for U.S. equities.
Investor concerns intensified after Trump warned trading partners against retreating from recently negotiated agreements. His comments followed a U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down emergency tariffs, prompting plans for new duties under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The policy shift has fueled confusion in financial markets already grappling with protectionist trade measures.
On Monday, the S&P 500 dropped 1%, erasing last week’s gains, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 1.1% amid growing fears about artificial intelligence disrupting software and other sectors. A bearish outlook from Citrini Research further pressured sentiment. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), a key measure of market fear, jumped to 21.01.
In currency markets, the U.S. dollar strengthened 0.1% against the Japanese yen to 154.77, while the offshore Chinese yuan held steady at 6.889 per dollar. Fed funds futures indicate a 95.5% probability that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged at its March 18 meeting. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield edged up to 4.029%.
Commodity prices reflected ongoing uncertainty. WTI crude oil dipped 0.1% to $66.23 amid U.S.-Iran tensions and security concerns in Lebanon. Gold, a traditional safe-haven asset, rose 0.3% to $5,244.96, while silver slipped slightly. In cryptocurrency markets, Bitcoin gained 0.4% to $64,832, while Ethereum eased 0.1% to $1,861.
