Asia-Pacific markets opened lower on Friday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street as the escalating conflict involving Iran pushed energy prices higher and weighed on investor sentiment.
By 11:55 am AEDT (12:55 am GMT), Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 and South Korea’s KOSPI 200 dropped 1.3% apiece, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 0.7%.
Among economic data releases, the South Korean consumer price index rose 0.3% month-on-month and increased 2.0% compared with the same month a year earlier.
Separate preliminary data from the Bank of Korea showed the country recorded its fifth-largest monthly current account surplus in January, supported by strong semiconductor exports and the ongoing recovery in global chip demand.
The surplus reached US$13.26 billion in January, down from $18.7 billion recorded in December. However, compared with the same month a year earlier, the figure surged 397.4%, marking the fifth-largest monthly surplus on record.
Overnight in the United States, major stock benchmarks ended the session lower as investors reacted to surging oil prices and the intensifying conflict in the Middle East.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.6%, while the S&P 500 declined 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.3%.
Energy markets remained a key driver of global sentiment. Brent crude rose 4.9% on Thursday to settle at $85.41 per barrel, its highest level since 18 July 2024.
Meanwhile, Spot gold fell 1.2% to $5,081.38 per ounce.
Elsewhere in Asia, mainland Chinese markets ended Thursday’s session higher. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.6% to close at 4,108.6, while the CSI 300 rose 1% to finish at 4,647.7.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.3% to 25,321.3, while India’s BSE Sensex climbed 1.1% to close at 80,015.9.
European markets, however, finished broadly lower in Thursday’s trading session. Britain’s FTSE 100 declined 1.5% to 10,413.9, Germany’s DAX fell 1.6% to close at 23,815.8, and France’s CAC 40 dropped 1.5% to finish at 8,045.8.
