Asian Stocks Plummet as Euro Inflation Surges Past Target
Asian stock markets ended the day in negative territory on March 31st, 2026, except for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index.
The Kospi in South Korea plummeted by almost 4.3%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 1% and China's Shanghai Composite slipped 0.8%. Meanwhile, Singapore's Straits Times index ended the day over 0.2% down.
In contrast to Asia, European indices were trading up. London's FTSE 100 rose by 1%, Germany's DAX added 0.9%, and France's CAC 40 gained over 0.6%. The increase in inflation in the Euro area was a major contributor to this.
The Eurostat flash estimate revealed that annual inflation is expected to be 2.5% in March 2026, exceeding the European Central Bank's target of 2%. This sharp jump in energy prices since the U.S. and Israel launched their military operation against Iran was a major factor in this increase.