Major European indexes moved into positive territory after sinking earlier in the day, while Asian markets closed sharply lower before the shift in sentiment. South Korean stocks fell more than 6% despite a temporary trading halt, underscoring investor concerns over the region’s heavy dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Gold also swung sharply, dropping 3% after recovering some of its earlier losses, while the U.S. dollar strengthened. Analysts said the duration of the conflict had become the key concern for investors, warning that prolonged fighting and elevated oil prices could deepen uncertainty across global financial markets.
