Global stock markets traded mixed on Tuesday as uncertainty over the Iran war and its impact on oil supply continued to unsettle investors.
European markets opened higher, with France’s CAC 40 rising 0.6% to 8,034.62, Germany’s DAX gaining 1.1% to 24,574.98 and Britain’s FTSE 100 up 0.6% at 10,384.15.
In contrast, US futures pointed slightly lower, with the S&P 500 futures down 0.2% and Dow Jones futures slipping less than 0.1%.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.4% to close at 60,550.59, erasing earlier gains despite government data showing the economy expanded for a second straight quarter in January–March, driven mainly by stronger-than-expected consumer spending.
South Korea’s Kospi dropped sharply, ending 3.3% lower at 7,271.66 after falling more than 4% earlier in the session. Major stocks were hit hard, with Hyundai Motor falling 8.9%, LG Electronics down 11.7%, Samsung Electronics losing 2% and SK Hynix declining 5.2%, tracking losses in US tech shares.
Elsewhere in the region, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.2% to 8,604.70, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.5% to 25,797.85 and Shanghai Composite added 0.9% to 4,169.54.
In energy markets, US crude oil fell 63 cents to $108.03 per barrel, while Brent crude dropped $1.59 to $110.51 per barrel. Prices have been volatile amid concerns that the Iran war could disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil transport.
Brent crude had been trading near $70 before the conflict escalated. Prices briefly eased after US President Donald Trump signalled a pause on a planned military strike on Iran, saying “serious negotiations” were underway.
On Wall Street overnight, the S&P 500 slipped 0.1%, the Dow gained 0.3% and the Nasdaq fell 0.5%.
Investors are now awaiting earnings from major US companies, including Nvidia, Target, Home Depot and Walmart, due later this week.
In currency trading, the US dollar rose to 159.08 yen from 158.84 yen, while the euro slipped to $1.1632 from $1.1657.