S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico Market
The South Korean won weakened to around 1,473 per dollar, pulling back after recently touching a more than two-month high near 1,445, amid escalating Middle East tensions and surging oil prices. Negotiations between the US and Iran remained stalled after both sides rejected key elements of each other’s proposals. Iran vowed to “never bow,” while both sides continued exchanging strikes and threats, prolonging instability around the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude remained elevated above $100 per barrel, reinforcing concerns over higher energy import costs for Korea and supporting broader dollar strength. Safe-haven demand for the US dollar increased as investors reacted to rising geopolitical uncertainty, further pressuring Asian currencies. Meanwhile, markets also noted that Korea’s reduced dependence on Middle Eastern energy has helped partially cushion longer-term vulnerability to oil shocks, though near-term price spikes continue to weigh on sentiment.
