Stock markets slump amid Iran war as gas prices jump 30% to three-year high

FTSE 100 on track for its worst day in 11 months, while Japan’s Nikkei and South Korea’s Kospi also fall

The war in the Middle East has plunged financial markets around the world into turmoil for a second day, with oil and gas prices surging and share indices plummeting days after the US-Israel attack on Iran.

After a calm Monday, US stocks fell sharply after trading opened on Tuesday, with the Dow dropping more than 2% before paring back those losses to settle about 1.2% down.

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Why This Matters

Global stock markets are experiencing a significant downturn as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, with key indices like the FTSE 100 on track for its worst day in 11 months.

In Week 10 2026, Business accounted for 57 related article(s), with International setting the broader headline context. Coverage of Business decreased by 63 article(s) versus the prior week, but remained material in the weekly agenda.

Coverage Snapshot

Week 10 2026 included 57 Business article(s). Leading outlets for this topic included CNBC, Washington Post, Independent Business. Across that cluster, sentiment showed a mostly neutral skew (avg score -0.03).

Key Insights

Primary keywords: live, markets, stock, iran, business.
Topic focus: Business coverage with neutral sentiment.
Source context: reported by Guardian Business.
Published: 2026-03-03.
Published by Guardian Business, a widely cited major outlet.
Date context: published during Week 10 2026, when International dominated weekly headlines.

Tone & Sentiment

The article tone is classified as neutral, driven by the language and emphasis in the summary. The sentiment score of 0.01 indicates the strength of that tone.

Context

The recent surge in oil and gas prices, up 30% to a three-year high, has sparked a chain reaction in financial markets worldwide. News outlets have highlighted the interconnectedness of global economies and the impact of the Middle East crisis on international trade. The Guardian has provided live updates on the business and world news, offering in-depth analysis and real-time coverage of the situation.

Related Topics

Business

Key Takeaway

In short, this article underscores key movement in Business and explains why it matters now.

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Guardian Business Stock markets slump amid Iran war as gas prices jump 30% to three-year high