Asian stock markets declined on Tuesday as elevated oil prices and continuing supply concerns in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment, overshadowing a rebound in US technology shares on Wall Street.
South Korea’s Kospi led regional losses, falling 4.3% to 5,518.53, as investors reduced exposure to technology stocks amid uncertainty over energy costs and the outlook for global economic growth.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.4% to 64,008.53, despite renewed buying interest in artificial intelligence-related companies during the previous US trading session.
Elsewhere, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell nearly 1.2% to 23,889.38, while China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.5% to 3,712.42.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.3% to 8,816.90, reflecting broader caution across regional equity markets.
The weakness came as Brent crude continued trading above $110 a barrel, supported by concerns over disruptions to energy supplies from the Middle East.
US West Texas Intermediate crude for December delivery traded around $98.80 a barrel, while the expiring November contract remained above $103.
Elevated energy prices have raised concerns about inflation and business costs, particularly in Asian economies heavily dependent on imported oil and gas.
The latest declines contrasted with Monday’s performance on Wall Street, where the Nasdaq Composite rallied 1.1% and the S&P 500 gained 0.4%, recovering some of the previous week’s losses.
However, the recovery was concentrated in technology and artificial intelligence stocks, while many companies outside the sector continued to struggle.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1%, highlighting the uneven nature of the US market rebound.
Investors are also preparing for a busy corporate earnings period, with upcoming results from major technology and industrial companies expected to provide further insight into profitability, demand and the sustainability of AI investment.
In other markets, gold traded near $4,122 an ounce, while Bitcoin stood at approximately $81,600.
Sterling strengthened to around $1.33 against the US dollar, as currency markets continued to assess the outlook for interest rates and economic growth.
The latest Asian market declines highlight the continued influence of high energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty, with investors balancing concerns over inflation against renewed optimism in selected technology stocks.
Attention will now turn to upcoming corporate earnings, movements in oil prices and further signals from central banks as markets assess whether the recent technology rebound can be sustained.
