{"id":133944,"title":"What happened overnight – Monday 23rd March 2026","publisher":"Share Talk","author":"sharetalk","published":"2026-03-23T08:07:27+00:00","modified":"2026-03-23T08:07:27+00:00","canonical_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/what-happened-overnight-monday-23rd-march-2026/","markdown_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/what-happened-overnight-monday-23rd-march-2026.md","json_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/what-happened-overnight-monday-23rd-march-2026.json","category":"B2B","categories":["B2B","Blogs","Technology","Technology, Media & Telecoms"],"tags":["Asia","Bangkok","Denmark","Endeavour Mining","Fed","Federal Reserve","Finland","FRANCE","FTSE 100","GERMANY","Glencore","Greenland plan","Hong kong","Japan","Manila","mining stocks","Mumbai","Nasdaq Composite","NATO alliance","Netherlands","Nikkei 225","Norway","S&P 500","shanghai","Singapore","Sweden","Sydney","Taiwan","UK","United States","Wall Street","Wellington"],"featured_image":"https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/overnight-1-1.webp?fit=750%2C406&quality=80&ssl=1","format":"news","language":"en-GB","content":"### Asian markets plunge as Trump threats escalate tensions\n\nAsian stocks tumbled after renewed warnings from Donald Trump dashed hopes of a near-term de-escalation in the Iran conflict.\n\nJapan’s Nikkei 225 fell **3.5% to 51,511.75**, while Taiwan’s **Taiex** dropped **2.5% to 32,722.50**. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped **0.7% to 8,365.90**.\n\nLosses were sharper elsewhere, with South Korea’s **Kospi** plunging **6.5% to 5,404.77**. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index declined **4.1% to 24,250.44**, and China’s Shanghai Composite fell **3.8% to 3,806.29**.\n\nOver the weekend, Trump warned the US would **“obliterate” Iran’s power plants** if the **Strait of Hormuz** is not reopened within 48 hours. Tehran responded by threatening to **target US and Israeli energy and infrastructure assets** across the region.\n\nRising oil prices have added to market pressure, with **Brent crude holding around $113 a barrel**, reinforcing fears of prolonged inflation and reducing expectations for global interest rate cuts.\n\n**Wholesale gas prices** in Europe climbed in early trading as energy markets remain on edge.\n\nThe UK month-ahead contract rose **3.1% to 155p per therm**, leaving prices **almost double where they were before the Iran conflict began**.\n\nThe weakness followed a sell-off on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 fell **1.5%**, marking its **fourth consecutive weekly decline**. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped **1%**, while the Nasdaq Composite slid **2%**.\n\n**Spot gold** has dropped by 4.6% today to $4,280 an ounce, hitting a nearly four-month low. Gold is suffering from rising expectations of higher global interest rates, traders say."}