- Li Chen
- 05 Mar, 2026
- Hong Kong
Stocks in China rebounded, tracking gains in overnight trading in New York, and crude oil prices extended their gains amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Hang Seng Index increased 0.8%, and the mainland-focused CSI 300 Index advanced 1.3% as investors set aside worries of the U.S.-Iran conflict engulfing more nations in the region.
China's National People's Congress set the gross domestic product growth target for 2026 between 4.5% and 5.0% at the start of the annual parliamentary session in Beijing.
China's policymakers set a lower economic growth target as they shifted their focus to technological innovation and high-value-added activities.
China Indexes and Stocks
The Hang Seng Index increased 0.8% to 25,462.30, and the CSI 300 Index advanced 1.3% to 4,662.81.
Cosco Shipping Holdings increased 2.8% to HK $15.99, China Merchants Port Holdings advanced 2.6% to HK $17.15, and Overseas International gained 2.6% to HK $156.80.
- Li Chen
- 05 Mar, 2026
- Hong Kong
Stocks in China rebounded, tracking gains in overnight trading in New York, and crude oil prices extended their gains amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Hang Seng Index increased 0.8%, and the mainland-focused CSI 300 Index advanced 1.3% as investors set aside worries of the U.S.-Iran conflict engulfing more nations in the region.
China's National People's Congress set the gross domestic product growth target for 2026 between 4.5% and 5.0% at the start of the annual parliamentary session in Beijing.
China's policymakers set a lower economic growth target as they shifted their focus to technological innovation and high-value-added activities.
China Indexes and Stocks
The Hang Seng Index increased 0.8% to 25,462.30, and the CSI 300 Index advanced 1.3% to 4,662.81.
Cosco Shipping Holdings increased 2.8% to HK $15.99, China Merchants Port Holdings advanced 2.6% to HK $17.15, and Overseas International gained 2.6% to HK $156.80.
- Barry Adams
- 04 Mar, 2026
- New York City
U.S. stocks extended their losses for the third day this week as investors weighed the impact of higher oil prices on the U.S. economy and future monetary policy outcomes.
The S&P 500 index decreased 0.4%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite declined 0.5% as war in the Middle East intensified.
Crude oil prices hovered near $75 a barrel, and natural gas prices traded around $3 per MMBtu as the U.S., Israel, and Iran exchanged air attacks.
Gold futures prices rose 2% to $5,197 an ounce and extended a three-day increase to 10% as the U.S.-Iran conflict entered its fifth day and the outcome remained uncertain.
Iran stepped up retaliatory strikes and directed its drone and missile attacks to neighboring nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar.
The rapidly shifting military situation in Iran and the Middle East roiled markets as far as in India, Japan, China, and South Korea.
Benchmark indexes in Seoul plunged 12%, in Tokyo dropped 4%, in Hong Kong fell 2%, and in Mumbai eased 1.4%.
Market indexes in Europe attempted to rebound between 1% and 2% and reversed the two-day decline of as much as 5%.
U.S. Movers
Ahead of earnings results later today, Abercrombie & Fitch advanced 4%, Okta inched higher 0.4%, and Broadcom Inc. edged up 1.3%.
ConocoPhillips, Chevron, and Exxon Mobil declined around 1% amid worries that the U.S. energy companies' oil fields and assets could be vulnerable in the Middle East.
- Barry Adams
- 04 Mar, 2026
- New York City
U.S. stocks extended their losses for the third day this week as investors weighed the impact of higher oil prices on the U.S. economy and future monetary policy outcomes.
The S&P 500 index decreased 0.4%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite declined 0.5% as war in the Middle East intensified.
Crude oil prices hovered near $75 a barrel, and natural gas prices traded around $3 per MMBtu as the U.S., Israel, and Iran exchanged air attacks.
Gold futures prices rose 2% to $5,197 an ounce and extended a three-day increase to 10% as the U.S.-Iran conflict entered its fifth day and the outcome remained uncertain.
Iran stepped up retaliatory strikes and directed its drone and missile attacks to neighboring nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar.
The rapidly shifting military situation in Iran and the Middle East roiled markets as far as in India, Japan, China, and South Korea.
Benchmark indexes in Seoul plunged 12%, in Tokyo dropped 4%, in Hong Kong fell 2%, and in Mumbai eased 1.4%.
Market indexes in Europe attempted to rebound between 1% and 2% and reversed the two-day decline of as much as 5%.
U.S. Movers
Ahead of earnings results later today, Abercrombie & Fitch advanced 4%, Okta inched higher 0.4%, and Broadcom Inc. edged up 1.3%.
ConocoPhillips, Chevron, and Exxon Mobil declined around 1% amid worries that the U.S. energy companies' oil fields and assets could be vulnerable in the Middle East.
- Akira Ito
- 04 Mar, 2026
- Tokyo
Japan's indexes declined for the third day in a row as the surge in oil prices dampened market sentiment across Asia.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell nearly 4%, the broader Topix dropped 3.6%, and the yen weakened to 157.45 against the U.S. dollar.
Investors are increasingly factoring in the possibility of a prolonged U.S.-Iran conflict expanding to the wider group of nations in the Middle East.
Investors worried that the higher energy prices could stoke worldwide inflation and slow down economic growth and disrupt energy supplies for a prolonged time.
Japan Indexes and Stocks
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average dropped 3.7% to 54,220.74, and the broader Topix decreased 3.6% to 3,637.59.
Benchmark indexes extended this week's losses to over 10% following the start of war in the Middle East.
Nippon Yusen KK decreased 3.5% to ¥5,376.0, Mitsui O.S.K Lines dropped 2.8% to ¥5,887.0, and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd fell 2.4% to ¥2,508.0.
Toyota Motor, Honda Motor, and Nissan Motor fell between 4% and 7%, and Hitachi, Komatsu, and Nippon Steel declined between 4% and 6%.
Tokyo Electron, Advantest Corp., and SoftBank Group plunged between 5% and 9%.
- Akira Ito
- 04 Mar, 2026
- Tokyo
Japan's indexes declined for the third day in a row as the surge in oil prices dampened market sentiment across Asia.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell nearly 4%, the broader Topix dropped 3.6%, and the yen weakened to 157.45 against the U.S. dollar.
Investors are increasingly factoring in the possibility of a prolonged U.S.-Iran conflict expanding to the wider group of nations in the Middle East.
Investors worried that the higher energy prices could stoke worldwide inflation and slow down economic growth and disrupt energy supplies for a prolonged time.
Japan Indexes and Stocks
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average dropped 3.7% to 54,220.74, and the broader Topix decreased 3.6% to 3,637.59.
Benchmark indexes extended this week's losses to over 10% following the start of war in the Middle East.
Nippon Yusen KK decreased 3.5% to ¥5,376.0, Mitsui O.S.K Lines dropped 2.8% to ¥5,887.0, and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd fell 2.4% to ¥2,508.0.
Toyota Motor, Honda Motor, and Nissan Motor fell between 4% and 7%, and Hitachi, Komatsu, and Nippon Steel declined between 4% and 6%.
Tokyo Electron, Advantest Corp., and SoftBank Group plunged between 5% and 9%.
- Li Chen
- 04 Mar, 2026
- Hong Kong
Stocks in China, Hong Kong, and Asia continued to drift amid a growing realization that the conflict in the Middle East is likely to drag on.
The sharp rise in crude oil prices for the third day in a row stoked fears of a rebound in inflation and a decline in economic growth.
Brent crude oil prices advanced to $82.15 a barrel as investors began to factor in the possibility of a prolonged war in the Middle East involving as many as twelve nations.
China imports about 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, and 22% of the world's natural gas exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is closed down by Iran.
The worry of energy supply disruptions weighed on stock prices around the world and drove higher oil prices for the third day in a row.
Market indexes in Japan fell more than 3% for the second consecutive session, and they plunged 11%, extending a two-day decline to more than 18%.
China's business activities rose in February amid an improving business climate ahead of the start of the Lunar Year.
The RatingDog China General Manufacturing PMI advanced to 52.1 in February from 50.3 in January, marking the expansion for the third month in a row and increasing to the highest level since December 2020.
The service sector activities expanded in February, reversing the deceleration over the last four months.
The RatingDog China General Services PMI soared to 56.7 in February from 52.3 in the previous month, reaching the highest level since May 2023.
China Indexes and Stocks
The Hang Seng Index decreased 2.8% to 25,037.75, and the mainland-focused CSI 300 Index declined 1.6% to 4,581.06.
COSCO declined 7% to HK $15.15, China Merchants Port Holdings decreased 2.5% to HK $16.53, and Orient Overseas International fell 3.2% to HK $152.70.