By Mauricio Alencar

 

LONDON. 09 March. - (ANA) - The value of listed businesses has nosedived since the start of the US and Israeli campaign from $157.5 trillion (£117.6 trillion) to $151.5 trillion (£113.1 trillion), per the Bloomberg World Exchange Market Capitalisation index.

 

The war in the Middle East has knocked £4.5 trillion off the value of global stocks since its start, as the financial impact continues to cause shockwaves around the world.

 

The value of listed businesses has nosedived since the start of the US and Israeli campaign from $157.5 trillion (£117.6 trillion) to $151.5 trillion (£113.1 trillion), per the Bloomberg World Exchange Market Capitalisation index. 

 

The drop is likely to be larger given the latest value was for 8 March. 

 

Global markets plunged into further turmoil on Monday after the price of Brent Crude Oil spiralled overnight to nearly $120 per barrel. 

 

The price now stands at around $100 amid suggestions some ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, which is critical for around one fifth of the world’s oil trade. 

 

Saxo UK investor strategist Neil Wilson said volatile prices in markets showed that finance executives were “trading on the fumes” of speculation which remained “highly uncertain and highly dynamic”. 

 

“Stocks remain under broad selling pressure as the deleveraging continues but with oil prices now significantly off the overnight highs equity markets in Europe are some way off the lows from the overnight futures, while US equity markets have also recovered a bit of ground since the open,” Wilson said. 

 

The S&P 500 fell by up to one per cent upon its opening on Monday before making a slight recovery. The FTSE 100 also fell by around 0.5 per cent near to its closing time while the Euro Stoxx 50 fell by around 0.7 per cent. 

 

 

 

 

Investors are holding out for updates on G7 countries’ response to potential oil supply issues, with reports stating that countries could tap oil reserves to lessen the blow of the energy shock. 

 

One official was quoted in Reuters as stating that there was “broad consensus” that oil reserves would not yet be released. 

 

Analysts are also likely to be holding out for clearer indications of President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Iranian regime’s next move. 

 

Trump said he was “nowhere near” deploying troops in Iran to secure nuclear sites and added he was unhappy about Ali Khamenei’s son taking the helm as the country’s supreme leader

 

An Iranian military official meanwhile sent the Trump administration a direct challenge to “continue this game” and risk seeing oil prices spike to $200 per barrel.  - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/09 March 2026 - - -