Stock markets Asian markets down after Trump ultimatum
Asia's stock markets started the trading week in the red following US President Donald Trump's ultimatum to the Iranian leadership. Japan's leading index, the Nikkei 225, slipped by almost five percent at times after the holiday-related trading break on Friday.
23.03.2026, 04:01
SDA
South Korea's leading index, the Kospi, also started the week down by around five percent. In the Chinese special administrative region of Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index fell by around 2.8 percent, while in China the CSI 300 index, which tracks the most important shares on the mainland, fell by 1.4 percent at times at the start.
Developments in the Iran war also had a strong impact on the oil price. The price of Brent crude oil, which is the most important North Sea grade for Europe, continued to hover well above the USD 100 mark at around USD 112 per barrel (159 liters), up more than 50 percent on the price level before the US-Israeli attacks on Iran began.
On Sunday night (CET), US President Trump threatened those in power in Iran with the destruction of energy facilities if the country did not open the Strait of Hormuz completely and "without threats" within 48 hours. For its part, the leadership in Tehran threatened to completely close the strait, which is important for global oil trade.
