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Asian markets fall as oil surges past $100 after talks collapse
April 13, 2026
Middle East Eye
Asian markets fall as oil surges past 100 after talks collapse Asian markets opened lower and oil prices surged past 100 a barrel after US-Iran talks failed and Washington ordered a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.84 percent and the Topix slipped 0.42 percent, while South Korea’s Kospi dropped 1.83 percent. Oil prices jumped sharply, with West Texas Intermediate rising 8.56 percent to 104.84 a barrel and Brent crude gaining 8.61 percent to 103.38.
Markets have been volatile since the conflict began, with disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies, adding to uncertainty. A currency dealer walks past a screen showing South Korea's benchmark stock index at the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on 8 April 2026. Jung Yeon-je / AFP
Middle East Eye
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