HONG KONG, March 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Oil prices extended gains and equities fell Tuesday as investors kept tabs on the Middle East as the United States and Israel continued to bombard Iran, while Tehran launched further strikes on neighbours. Iran has responded by unleashing missiles and drones across the Middle East, including Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, while threatening explicitly to drive up global energy costs. That sent oil prices soaring nearly 14 percent Monday before easing slightly, while European natural gas prices spiked almost 40 percent after Qatar's state-run energy firm said it had halted liquefied natural gas production. "We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. "A spike in energy prices creates a dilemma for central banks," said Rodrigo Catril at National Australia Bank.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 03, 2026 03:24 UTC