Crude oil prices jumped sharply on Thursday as renewed hostilities in the Gulf reignited supply disruption fears, sending shockwaves through global energy markets.
The escalation marks a significant intensification of the ongoing conflict, prompting traders to price in immediate risks to shipping routes and production infrastructure in the region.
The energy surge provided a broad lift to Asian equity markets, with MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rising 0.8%.
However, the rally was not uniform across sectors.
Gains in the region were partially capped by persistent volatility in other areas, even as the energy complex benefited from the geopolitical premium.
Investors are increasingly weighing the direct impact of supply constraints against broader macroeconomic headwinds.