31.03.202600:47:18UTC+00Japanese Shares Fall as Oil Extends Gains

The Nikkei 225 Index slid 2.2% to below 50,800 on Tuesday, while the broader Topix Index lost 1.4% to close at 3,492, extending their declines to a fourth straight session as oil prices climbed further amid renewed tensions in the Middle East. The latest catalyst was an Iranian strike on a Kuwaiti oil tanker near a Dubai port, underscoring mounting risks to shipping in the Persian Gulf and tightening global access to Middle Eastern energy supplies. Concerns about a potential inflation shock weighed heavily on sentiment and triggered a broad-based equity selloff. Technology shares led the downturn, with notable losses in Kioxia Holdings (-5.8%), Advantest (-4.8%), Lasertec (-5.5%), Disco Corp (-4.8%), and SoftBank Group (-4.3%). Major financial, defense, and consumer names also came under pressure. For the month, the Nikkei and Topix are on track to drop more than 13% and 11%, respectively.