Financial markets across Asia experienced a sharp downturn following a hardline speech by Donald Trump, in which he vowed to continue military actions against Iran.
The threat of escalating geopolitical conflict immediately sent global oil prices surging. This rapid spike in energy costs heavily spooked investors across the region. Because the majority of Southeast Asian economies are highly dependent on imported oil to fuel their domestic growth, the sudden surge in crude prices triggered a widespread sell-off in regional equities.