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Malaysia's benchmark stock index fell to a 10-day low as crude oil surged past $100 per barrel amid Middle East conflict fears, causing broad-based market losses despite gains in energy stocks.
ASEAN foreign ministers are converging in Manila for three days of high-level talks amid mounting geopolitical pressures. The meeting will address Middle East tensions, Myanmar's civil war, and South China Sea disputes, with attendance from major powers including the US, China, Russia and the EU.
Escalating tensions in the Gulf region sent shockwaves through Asian financial markets on Monday, weakening regional currencies and triggering a sharp 8% decline in South Korea's KOSPI index as oil prices surged and inflation concerns resurfaced.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israeli troops will remain in southern Lebanon for an indeterminate period, while reiterating commitment to blocking Iran's nuclear ambitions.
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Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed reported de-escalation between the United States and Iran, while cautioning that geopolitical tensions invariably inflict the greatest hardship on economically disadvantaged populations in the region.