European stock markets opened lower on Tuesday, with Brussels’ BEL20 index falling 1.9% within half an hour of trading, led by a 4.3% drop in Ageas shares.
The Paris stock market opened down 1.2%, Frankfurt fell 1.7%, and London dropped 0.9%.
Earlier in the day, Asian markets also closed with losses. South Korea’s Seoul stock exchange plummeted by over 7%, while Tokyo’s stock market declined by more than 3%.
Rising oil and gas prices, driven by instability in the Middle East, have sparked concerns among investors about economic slowdown and a potential surge in inflation.
Much depends on how long the conflict continues.
