BUSINESS

SYDNEY, Australia — The Australian dollar weakened against the US dollar on Monday, with AUD/USD trading around 0.6980 in Asian and early European sessions, down approximately 0.78% from Friday's close as escalating US-Iran tensions and broader market uncertainty outweighed support from soaring oil prices.

Asian stock markets tumbled sharply Monday amid escalating threats between the United States and Iran, as the conflict entered its fourth week with no signs of de-escalation. Major indexes in Japan and South Korea fell more than 5%, driven by investor fears over potential disruptions to global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

LONDON — The FTSE 100 ended lower on Friday, March 20, 2026, closing at 9,918.33, down 145.17 points or 1.44%, marking its largest single-day percentage decline in recent weeks amid profit-taking and broader market caution. The benchmark index opened at 10,063.25 but quickly retreated, trading in a range of 9,915.70 to 10,127.56 before settling near session lows on volume of approximately 2.61 billion shares.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping Australia's job market at an unprecedented pace, with technical and strategic AI roles leading the charge as the fastest-growing opportunities in 2026.