Asia-Pacific Markets Tumble Amidst Iranian Conflict

Trouble in Paradise? Markets Take a Dive

Hey it's your captain Monkey D. Luffy reporting live from the Grand Line... well not really I'm reading this news thingy about markets going down because of some fight in Iran. Sounds messy! Apparently all this 'conflict' talk is making people nervous and when people get nervous they don't buy as much. Reminds me of when Nami gets angry and everyone hides their treasure! It's like 'Gomu Gomu no… sell off'!

Oil's Wild Ride: A Barrel of Laughs… or Tears?

So this Strait of Hormuz place got closed or so they say. That's where a ton of oil goes through every day! Now the price of oil is going up faster than Usopp can tell a tall tale! They're saying it could mess with everything since many barrels per day transited via the Strait on average last year. Makes you think doesn't it? It's like when Sanji runs out of ingredients – suddenly everyone's eating Chopper's emergency rations. And talking about messing things up the House is getting on the case of some insurance companies asking questions about the Obamacare. You can read all about it here: Obamacare Insurers Face Scrutiny Under House Subpoenas.

Korea's Kospi Sinks: Samsung and SK Hynix Take a Hit

Whoa South Korea’s Kospi is really feeling the pinch! Samsung and SK Hynix are down like Zoro after a sake binge! But get this – defense stocks are going up. Guess when there's a fight someone's gotta make the swords and shields right? Reminds me of Franky building us new gadgets every time we get into a scrap!

Aussie Market Wobbles: Not Quite a 'Gum Gum' Recovery

Even Australia's feeling the heat! Their S & P/ASX 200 is down even after trying to look tough the day before. Seems like everyone’s a bit seasick from all this market turbulence. They should try some of Sanji's cooking always fixes us right up after a rough patch on the sea.

Japan's Nikkei Nosedives: Energy and Cyclicals Drag It Down

Japan’s Nikkei is dropping faster than I drop meat on the deck! Energy and consumer cyclicals are to blame apparently. Sounds boring but it means people are worried. Makes you wonder if they need a good ol' feast to cheer everyone up. I know I do!

US Markets: A Late Rally but Still Shaky

Over in the U.S. things are a bit of a rollercoaster. The S & P 500 went up a teeny bit and the Nasdaq bounced back. The Dow Jones though took a tumble. Sounds like they need to learn to stretch like me to avoid the falls! Maybe I should give them a 'Gum Gum' pep talk. Shishishi!