Global markets today: Equities in US, Europe slip; oil prices rally on uncertainty over Middle East war

A strike on a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of Palestinians has increased fears that the Israel-Hamas conflict could spill over into a regional war.

Wall Street

US stocks slid on Wednesday as escalating turmoil in the Middle East dampened risk appetite.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 217.4 points, or 0.64%, at 33,780.25.  The S&P 500 lost 44 points, or 1.01%, at 4,329.2. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 169.70 points, or 1.25%, at 13,364.04.

MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe shed 1.01%. Emerging market stocks lost 0.89%. 

The yield on the 10-year treasury rose at 4.91% from 4.84% late Tuesday.

Currencies

The US dollar rose at 149.90 Japanese yen from 149.80. The euro fell at $1.0536 from $1.0569.

Europe

European shares fell on Wednesday, dragged by a drop in shares of chipmakers.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 1.1%, its lowest level in over a week.

Britain’s FTSE 100 edged down 1.1% at 7,588. Germany’s DAX fell 1% at 15,094.91. France’s CAC 40 lost 0.9% at 6,965.99.

The energy sector was the only gainer among major sectoral indices, up 0.3%.

Industrials fell 2%.

Energy prices

The US crude oil benchmark for November delivery rose $1.66 at $88.32 a barrel on Wednesday. Brent crude for December delivery added $1.60 at $91.50 a barrel.

Natural gas for November delivery fell 2 cents at $3.06 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bullion

Gold for December delivery surged $32.60 at $1,968.30 an ounce. Silver for December delivery added 8 cents at $23.10 an ounce.

Asia

Asian stock markets were mostly down.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index edged down 0.2% at 17,732.52.  China’s Shanghai Composite fell 0.8% at 3,058.71.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 ended flat at 32,042.25.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index ended 0.3% higher at 7077.600. New Zealand’s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index closed 0.6% higher at 11221.480. 

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Updated: 19 Oct 2023, 01:04 AM IST