Asia markets fall, oil climbs on Iran strikes

June 10, 2026 (MLN): Asian markets opened lower on Wednesday as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment, with South Korea leading regional losses.

The benchmark Kospi index fell more than 2%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 0.7%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 also traded modestly lower in early dealings.

The risk-off mood extended to U.S. futures trading, where contracts linked to major Wall Street indexes moved into negative territory, as reported by CNBC.

Futures on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 dropped around 0.3%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures lost more than 160 points.

Oil prices advanced as investors assessed the potential impact of renewed tensions in the Middle East.

U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose roughly 1% to trade near $89 per barrel, showing concerns over possible disruptions to global energy supplies.

Market sentiment deteriorated after the United States carried out military strikes against Iran late Tuesday. According to U.S. Central Command, the operation was conducted in response to the downing of a U.S.

Army Apache helicopter a day earlier. President Donald Trump had accused Iran of targeting the aircraft while it was conducting patrol operations near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has not officially acknowledged responsibility for the incident.

However, the latest military action has raised concerns over the durability of the recently established ceasefire between Washington and Tehran and has increased uncertainty surrounding efforts to achieve a broader diplomatic settlement.

On Wall Street, major indexes ended Tuesday on a mixed note.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.26%, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 0.97%, pressured by weakness in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related stocks. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 86 points, or 0.17%.

The decline in technology shares extended a recent pullback that followed a strong AI-driven rally. Market participants have increasingly questioned whether valuations in the semiconductor sector have become stretched after months of robust gains.

Investors are now awaiting the release of the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) data due later on Wednesday. Economists expect annual inflation to accelerate to 4.2% in May, with monthly prices projected to rise 0.5%.

If confirmed, it would mark the first time U.S. inflation has exceeded 4% since May 2023 and would represent the highest reading since April 2023, potentially influencing expectations for future Federal Reserve policy decisions.

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