{"id":65053,"date":"2026-07-19T20:38:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T00:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/brent-surges-past-90-as-u-s-iran-hostilities-intensify-kospi-plunges-4\/65053\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T20:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T00:38:17","slug":"brent-surges-past-90-as-u-s-iran-hostilities-intensify-kospi-plunges-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/brent-surges-past-90-as-u-s-iran-hostilities-intensify-kospi-plunges-4\/65053\/","title":{"rendered":"Brent Surges Past $90 as U.S.-Iran Hostilities Intensify; KOSPI Plunges 4%"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Brent <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">crude oil<\/a> surged above $90 per barrel<\/strong> as the U.S. launched its ninth consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting critical infrastructure and military sites.<\/li>\n<li><strong>South Korea&#39;s KOSPI index plunged 4%<\/strong> on its return from a long weekend, leading a broad risk-off sentiment across Asia-Pacific markets due to escalating Middle East tensions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A commercial vessel is reportedly ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> near Oman; the British military and UKMTO confirmed the fire, though the cause remains under verification amid a U.S. naval blockade.<\/li>\n<li><strong>WT Financial Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/WTL\">WTL<\/a>) reported strong FY2026 results<\/strong>, with indicative EBITDA rising 22% to A$8.4 million and a planned fully franked dividend of 0.75 AU cents per share.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Escalating Military Hostilities and Oil Market Impact<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Brent crude futures<\/strong> jumped more than 3% to trade above <strong>$90\/bbl<\/strong> early Monday as the conflict between the United States and Iran entered a dangerous new phase. <strong>U.S. President Donald Trump<\/strong> confirmed that American forces &quot;hit Iran very hard again tonight,&quot; marking the ninth straight night of operations. <strong>U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)<\/strong> stated the strikes are intended to degrade Iranian capabilities used to threaten shipping in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, a vital chokepoint for 20% of global oil supply.<\/p>\n<p>Reports from Iranian state media, including <strong>IRNA<\/strong> and <strong>Mehr News<\/strong>, indicated that explosions were heard in several strategic locations, including the northwestern city of <strong>Tabriz<\/strong> and the southern ports of <strong>Chabahar<\/strong> and <strong>Bandar Imam Khomeini<\/strong>. Iran retaliated by launching a &quot;new wave&quot; of missiles from the <strong>Lorestan<\/strong> province toward &quot;enemy targets.&quot; The heightened risk of a total supply disruption in the Persian Gulf has forced traders to price in a significant geopolitical premium, especially as global inventories remain tight.<\/p>\n<h2>Global Market Reaction and Safe-Haven Flows<\/h2>\n<p>Asian equity markets faced immediate pressure as trading opened on Monday. <strong>South Korea&#39;s KOSPI<\/strong> led the decline, falling as much as <strong>4%<\/strong> as investors reacted to the weekend&#39;s military escalation. While the <strong>ASX 200<\/strong> managed a slight gain of <strong>0.4%<\/strong>, sentiment across the region remains fragile with <strong>Japan&#39;s markets closed<\/strong> for a public holiday.<\/p>\n<p>In the currency and commodities space, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold<\/a><\/strong> edged slightly lower as the surge in energy costs reinforced fears of persistent inflation, keeping expectations for potential <strong>Federal Reserve rate hikes<\/strong> alive. The <strong>U.S. Dollar<\/strong> saw safe-haven demand, while the <strong>South Korean Won<\/strong> and other emerging market currencies faced selling pressure. Traders are increasingly pricing in tighter U.S. monetary policy later this year to combat the inflationary impact of rising oil prices.<\/p>\n<h2>Shipping Threats in the Strait of Hormuz<\/h2>\n<p>The maritime situation in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> has become critical following reports from the <strong>British Military (UKMTO)<\/strong> of a ship on fire approximately 8 nautical miles northwest of <strong>Kumzar, Oman<\/strong>. This follows a week where the U.S. has actively enforced a naval blockade, redirecting at least six commercial vessels and disabling others.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Israeli military<\/strong> also reported sirens in areas near the Gaza border, including <strong>Kfar Aza<\/strong>, suggesting that the regional instability is triggering alerts across multiple fronts. Shipping insurance premiums are expected to skyrocket as the &quot;shadow war&quot; transitions into open hostilities, with energy infrastructure now appearing to be a primary target for both sides.<\/p>\n<h2>Corporate Spotlight: WT Financial Group Results<\/h2>\n<p>Amid the global turmoil, <strong>WT Financial Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/WTL\">WTL<\/a>)<\/strong> released its indicative results for the 2026 financial year, showcasing resilience in the Australian wealth management sector. The company reported a <strong>15% growth in net revenue<\/strong> and other income to <strong>A$33.1 million<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Profitability metrics showed double-digit gains, with <strong>Indicative NPBT (Net Profit Before Tax)<\/strong> increasing 20% to <strong>A$6.6 million<\/strong>. Following the strong performance, the Board announced its expectation to pay a <strong>fully franked dividend of 0.75 AU cents per share<\/strong>, reflecting the group&#39;s successful transition to a scaled B2B advice platform.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Brent crude oil surged above $90 per barrel as the U.S. launched its ninth consecutive night of airstrikes 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