Stock markets around the world plunged on Friday morning, while oil and gold prices rose, after Israel conducted a major military assault on Iran.
Japan’s Nikkei lost 0.89 per cent, South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.87 per cent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 0.92 per cent as at 12.06pm UAE time.
Gold prices rose 0.9 per cent to about $3,416.5 an ounce, as investors rushed to safe haven assets on the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.
In other markets in Asia, China’s Shanghai’s composite and Shanghai A share index were both down 0.75 per cent. The Shenzhen A share index and Shenzhen component index were also trading lower. Taiwan’s Taiex index was down 0.96 per cent.
In India, the BSE 100 fell 0.83 per cent, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index declined 0.2 per cent.
European stock markets were also trading lower amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
In London, FTSE 100 was down 0.5 per cent, while Paris’s CAC 40…


