Forex Marketz Daily Forex News – Fully Markets Update
Asian markets, on Friday, were cautious after an attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman fanned the flames of a possible military showdown between the United States and Iran.
In Japan, the Asian benchmark, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.27 percent by the afternoon. The broader Topix index, in Tokyo, was down a fraction.
In South Korea, the benchmark Kospi Composite index was down 0.28 percent.
Elsewhere in the Asian and Pacific Rim, the Australian S&P ASX 200 was up a fraction. Most of the sub-sectors were higher.
Regional tensions, in Hong Kong remain as protests continue over the controversial extradition bill. The Hang Seng index lost over half a percent.
In China, the Shanghai composite was trading down 0.25 percent. The smaller Shenzhen composite lost 0.65 percent and the Shenzhen component fell over 0.5 percent.
Asian Traders Digest Oil Tanker Attacks in the Middle East
This is the second time, in a month, that oil tankers have been attacked in this trade route. Tensions between the United States and Iran are already high and growing worse. The U.S. was quick to accuse Iran for Thursday’s attacks. Iran denied they had anything to do with the attack.
Tensions in the Middle East have been rising since President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 multinational nuclear pact with Iran. He renewed sanctions on the country targeting their oil exports.
Yesterday, Iran said that they “categorically rejects the U.S. unfounded claim with regard to 13 June oil tanker incidents and condemns it in the strongest possible terms.”
