Oil soars, shares slide in Asia as Middle East conflict rages

SYDNEY, March 9 (Reuters) – Share futures fell sharply in Asia on Monday as the inflationary pulse from surging oil prices threatened to raise living costs, and perhaps interest rates, across the globe, while an investor hunger for liquidity kept the U.S. dollar in demand.

Brent jumped 17% to $108.73 a barrel, having already soared 28% last week, while U.S. crude rose 19% to $108.33 per barrel.