Asia stocks tumble to 16-month lows after Ukraine nuclear complex fire
Asian equities and the euro slumped on Friday after news of a fire near a Ukraine nuclear facility following fighting with Russian forces heightened investor fears about the escalating conflict and sent oil prices higher.
The risk-off appetite battered markets across the region, with European bourses set for a weak open as Euro Stoxx 50 futures while German DAX futures shed 2.6% and FTSE futures lost 1.4%.
A fire that broke out in a training building near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest of its kind in Europe, during intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces has since been extinguished, authorities said on Friday.
While that has helped ease some of the initial panic that hit markets earlier in the day, investors remain extremely anxious about the conflict.
