Tokyo: Japanese and South Korean stock markets fell at their sharpest rates in months today as investors remained in a state of panic for a second consecutive day following the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel.
According to Thai News Agency, the Nikkei 225, Japan's benchmark stock index, closed at 56,279.05 points, down 3.06 percent, its biggest drop since November last year, after falling as much as 3.4 percent during the day.
In South Korea, the KOSPI index, the benchmark for the South Korean stock market, closed down 7.24 percent at 5,791.91 points after a "sidecar" measure was implemented to temporarily suspend trading during the day.
The airstrikes between the United States, Israel, and Iran continue to escalate with no sign of ending. Israel launched attacks on Lebanon in retaliation for a bloc supporting Iran, while Iran continues to fire missiles and send drones to attack Gulf countries housing US bases.