📉🌏 Geopolitical Tensions Roil Markets: Asian Stocks Slide, Gold Rises 📈🪙
Over the weekend, heightened tensions between Iran and Israel rattled global markets, impacting Asian shares and boosting gold prices. 🌐📉
Amid fears of a broader regional conflict, Asian stocks experienced declines, with Japan's Nikkei sliding 1% and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 losing nearly 0.5%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.63%. 📉💼
However, China's markets bucked the trend, rising after the country's securities regulator proposed draft rules to enhance supervision of company listings and trading activities. 🇨🇳📈
The flight to safety drove gold prices up over 0.5%, while oil prices remained largely unaffected despite the geopolitical tensions. Brent crude futures edged lower to $90.23 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell to $85.36 a barrel. 🛢️📈
In the U.S., stock futures ticked higher after Friday's selloff, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures each rising about 0.4%. 🇺🇸📈
Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury yields held near recent highs as traders recalibrated their expectations for Fed rate cuts, with the dollar hitting a fresh 34-year high against the yen. The euro and sterling remained near five-month lows. 💵📉
The shifting rate outlook has impacted bitcoin's rally, with the cryptocurrency falling over 3% to $65,010 amidst the global risk-off sentiment. 📉🪙
As geopolitical tensions persist and market participants await further clarity on the future path of U.S. interest rates, volatility is likely to continue across global markets. 🌐📊