World Shares Mixed Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions

Global markets were mixed on Wednesday, with European stocks mostly higher.

Germany’s DAX inched up 0.1% to 19,232.74, while London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.4% to 8,311.82 and the CAC 40 in Paris increased 0.5% to 7,611.12.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng surged over 6%, while other Asian markets retreated as tensions escalated in the Middle East, according to a report by Elaine Kurtenbach for the Associated Press (AP).

Oil prices continued to rise after Iran launched dozens of missiles into Israel, raising concerns about potential disruptions to oil supplies.

This development overshadowed an upbeat report showing that U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in August, signaling continued resilience in the American labor market.

Germany’s DAX inched up 0.1% to 19,232.74, while London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.4% to 8,311.82. In Paris, the CAC 40 increased 0.5% to 7,611.12. Meanwhile, futures for the S&P 500 were down 0.1%, and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dropped 0.2%.

Japan's Nikkei 225 fell by 2.2% to 37,808.76 following the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s selection of Shigeru Ishiba to replace Fumio Kishida as the new leader.

Higher energy prices, due to Japan’s heavy reliance on imported oil, gas, and coal, are expected to add to Ishiba’s challenges in revitalizing the economy.

In contrast, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index jumped 6.2% to 22,443.73, driven by investor enthusiasm over recent policy moves by Beijing aimed at reviving the ailing property sector and supporting financial markets.