International News 30 March 2026

Australia Stock Market Today: ASX 200 Falls 1.1% as Iran War Fears Hit Shares Before Easter Break
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Australia Stock Market Today: ASX 200 Falls 1.1% as Iran War Fears Hit Shares Before Easter Break

SYDNEY, April 3, 2026, 04:13 GMT+11 Australian stocks slipped on Thursday, erasing earlier gains as the S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.1% to 8,579.5, marking the steepest one-day slide since March 19. Pressure mounted on miners: Rio Tinto slid 3.3%, while BHP ended 2.5% lower. Fresh comments from U.S. President Donald Trump—signaling additional strikes on Iran and offering no end date for the conflict—rattled sentiment. Hebe Chen, a market analyst at Vantage Markets, called it a blow to “fragile hope for a near-term de-escalation.”
April 2, 2026
Oil Prices Surge as Iran War Widens, Asian Stocks Slide and UK Weighs Emergency Measures
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Oil Prices Surge as Iran War Widens, Asian Stocks Slide and UK Weighs Emergency Measures

Oil prices pushed higher Monday, with Asian equities slipping after Yemen's Houthis struck at Israel and the Guardian published remarks from Donald Trump about taking Iran's oil and targeting Kharg Island, the country's key export terminal. Investors looked unconvinced by diplomatic efforts, with Brent crude set to notch its steepest monthly gain since at least 1988, according to LSEG data, as risk premiums around the Strait of Hormuz remained stubbornly elevated. The impact is no longer limited to commodity traders—it's showing up in what people pay day-to-day. Germany reported March inflation ticking up to 2.8% as energy bills climbed. According to RAC numbers cited by the Guardian, UK petrol is now at 152 pence a litre, with diesel at 181.2
March 30, 2026