Asian markets ended largely in losses on May 21, 2026, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and China’s Shanghai Composite slipping, while Japan’s Nikkei and South Korea’s Kospi posted strong gains. India’s Sensex and Nifty closed marginally higher, but Indonesia’s IDX fell sharply.
In contrast, European indices traded in gains, with Italy’s FTSE MIB, Greece’s ATHEX, Belgium’s BEL 20, and Czech Republic’s PX closing higher. However, the UK’s FTSE 100, France’s CAC 40, and Germany’s DAX saw slight declines, reflecting mixed investor sentiment across the continent.
Global markets were influenced by easing oil prices, firmer U.S. bond yields, and cautious optimism over potential de-escalation in Middle East tensions. Analysts noted that while Asia faced pressure from weak Chinese data and currency concerns, Europe benefited from resilient southern markets and improved investor confidence.
