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On the first business day of the week, stock markets around the world crashed following the announcement of new tariffs by US President Donald Trump.
The decision triggered panic selling across Asia, Europe, and Gulf regions, leading to one of the most widespread single-day losses in recent history.
Investors lost billions of dollars as major indicators fell sharply within hours, rattling confidence in global economic stability.
Asian markets were the first to react.
India’s stock market saw a sharp decline, with the Nifty 50 dropping 5 percent to close at 21,758 points and the Sensex falling 5.29 percent to 71,379 points.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 plunged 9.5 percent, while Taiwan’s Taipei index dropped 9.6 percent.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index suffered the worst loss in Asia, crashing 13.6 percent. The Singapore index was down 8 percent, and China’s Shanghai Composite fell 7 percent.
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In South Korea, trading had to be suspended due to extreme market volatility.
Meanwhile, Australian stocks lost a staggering $160 billion in market value as the S&P/ASX 200 index fell 6 percent within just 15 minutes of opening.
European markets also opened deep in the red. Germany’s DAX index tumbled 10 percent, one of its worst single-day losses in years.
The UK’s FTSE 100 fell 6 percent, while Italy’s markets dropped 8.5 percent. Sweden and Switzerland weren’t spared either, each seeing a 7 percent decline as investor fears spread across the continent.
The Gulf region recorded its most significant drop since the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. Saudi Arabia’s TASI index lost 700 points, closing at 11,1200. Oil giant Aramco saw its share value fall by $90 billion.
Other Gulf markets, including Qatar, Kuwait, Oman (Muscat), and Bahrain, also witnessed sharp declines as investor panic spread across regional exchanges.
Analysts attribute the global sell-off to fears of a renewed trade war, as Trump’s tariff decision raised uncertainty over international trade relations.
With billions in investor capital erased in a single day, financial experts are urging calm, but acknowledge that volatility may continue as markets respond to economic and geopolitical tensions.
