Global Markets Plummet as Iran-Israel Conflict Escalates

Markets around the world were affected by the recent military exchange between Iran and Israel, which saw a sharp decline in global equity indices. The KOSPI index in South Korea plummeted 6.8%, while Japan's Nikkei declined more than 3%. This widespread selloff was driven by heightened risk aversion among market participants.

The Nasdaq suffered its steepest single-session loss since April 2025, with a decline of 4.2% on Friday. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average also experienced significant losses, with the latter declining 1.4%. Semiconductor stocks were particularly hard hit, with Nvidia losing more than 6%.

Bitcoin's price was already under pressure before the weekend's events, contracting nearly 14% in the previous week. The cryptocurrency temporarily fell below $60,000, and its value continues to be influenced by capital withdrawals from spot exchange-traded funds and investment rotation toward AI equities.