(Photo: AFP)LONDON - Global stock markets dived, energy prices surged and the US dollar gained on Tuesday as the Iran war drove volatility across global financial markets and roiled companies worldwide. The Frankfurt, Madrid and Milan stock markets each shed around 4% in midday deals, while Paris and London lost close to three percent. Iran has unleashed missiles and drones across the Middle East, including at Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, while threatening explicitly to drive up global energy costs. European natural gas prices surged 50% on Monday after Qatar’s state-run energy firm said it had halted liquefied natural gas production. “A spike in energy prices creates a dilemma for central banks,” said Rodrigo Catril at National Australia Bank.

Source: Bangkok Post March 03, 2026 14:16 UTC