Reds dominate Asian stock markets
Japan’s Nikkei index is leading the losses in Asian markets following the news of Israel’s operation against Iran.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index led losses in Asia on Friday, falling 3.3 percent, while the broad-based Topix fell 2.78 percent, leading declines in most other major Asian markets.
The casualties came as a person familiar with the matter told NBC News that Israel was conducting an operation in Iran. While stocks and risky assets fell, safe havens rose.
Gold reached an all-time high as the Japanese yen strengthened and Bitcoin lost value. Oil prices rose more than 3 percent, with global benchmark Brent crude futures exceeding $90 a barrel. U.S. stock futures fell more than 1 percent.
Japan announced March inflation data on Friday; The headline inflation rate decreased to 2.7 percent from 2.8 percent seen in February. The core inflation rate, which excludes fresh food prices, was 2.6 percent, in line with economists’ expectations.
South Korea’s Kospi index lost 2.83 percent on Thursday, following major gains in Asia, while the small-cap Kosdaq fell 3.25 percent.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.59 percent.
While Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 1.49 percent, China’s CSI 300 index lost 0.68 percent.