Nikkei, Yen, Hang Seng: Sorge vor Eskalation in Nahost drückt asiatische Börsen ins Minus
Steigende Ölpreise und wachsende geopolitische Spannungen verunsichern die Anleger in Asien. In Japan belastet zusätzlich die Aussicht auf rasche Zinserhöhungen.
Sky-high concerns over the escalation of the Middle East conflict and the subsequent rise in oil prices have weighed heavily on Asian stock markets on Thursday. The Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo fell by 0.8 percent to 64,597 points, while the broader Topix declined by 0.3 percent to 4,033 counts. Chinese investors were also cautious, with the Shanghai Stock Exchange slipping by 0.1 percent to 3,946 points. The CSI-300 Index, comprising China's 300 largest companies, dropped by 0.2 percent to 4,565 points.
The restraint in trading was driven by geopolitical tensions, following Iran's attack on ten ships near the Strait of Hormuz and the United States sinking five Iranian oil tankers. Additionally, statements from Japan's central bank (BOJ) fueled expectations of rapid interest rate hikes. "For the overall Japanese equity market, the surge in crude oil prices and interest rates act as a brake," said Wataru Akiyama, a strategist at Nomura Securities.
Among the decliners in Tokyo were Nintendo, down by 5.8 percent, as well as cable manufacturers Fujikura and Furukawa Electric. Bank and brokerage firms, which benefit from higher interest rates, and the oil and coal sectors were in demand. In China, the Swiss banking giant UBS's withdrawal from a portion of its business had made headlines.
The bank announced the closure of its 2022-founded fund distribution unit in Shenzhen, citing inability to compete in a highly competitive market.
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