World stock markets register significant drops after a new surge in oil prices

Portafolio Journalist 03.19.2026 06:35 Updated: 03.19.2026 06:42

World stock markets register significant drops after a new surge in oil prices

TL;DR

  • Asian stock markets, including Tokyo and Seoul, experienced significant drops, with declines nearing 3%.
  • Rising crude oil prices, spurred by attacks on Middle Eastern energy infrastructure and Iran's threats, impacted global markets.
  • The price of Brent crude oil rose nearly 5%, approaching $113 per barrel.
  • Tokyo's Nikkei index fell 3.38%, and the Topix index dropped 2.91%.
  • Seoul's Kospi index decreased by 2.73%, and the Kosdaq index lost 1.79%.
  • Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges in China saw losses of 1.39% and 2.02%, respectively.
  • Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 2.02%.
  • Southeast Asian markets generally followed the downward trend, with Bangkok's SET index down 1.62%.
  • European stock markets also registered losses exceeding 1%, with Madrid leading the decline at 1.69%.