Seoul shares plunged 9 percent Monday as investors dumped technology stocks for profit-taking amid renewed tensions in the Middle East.

Stock index futures were lower before the opening bell on Monday as tensions in the Middle East intensified after Washington and Tehran exchanged fresh military strikes. Nasdaq 100 futures (US100:IND) fell 1.

Two nuclear-powered carriers remain deployed in the region, as one amphibious ready group has departed the region just as another has arrived

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed

A fresh round of attacks by the U.S. on Sunday was the latest volley in a familiar pattern of back-and-forth strikes fueled by disputes over the Strait of Hormuz.

Gold slid over 1% on Monday as fears of closure of the Strait of Hormuz drove oil higher, reviving expectations of rate hikes to combat inflationary pressures from Mid East hostilities.

By Vivek Kumar M July 13 (Reuters) - Indian shares fell on Monday in a broad-based sell-off as renewed fighting in the Middle East and Iran's claim to have closed the vital Strait of Hormuz again pushed crude oil prices higher.

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index started the week sharply lower, reflecting inflation worries as renewed attacks in the Middle East drove up oil prices.

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A look at major US military bases across the Middle East amid Iranian claims of strikes on American-linked facilities.

Seoul shares plunged 9 percent Monday as investors dumped technology stocks for profit-taking amid renewed tensions in the Middle East. The Korean won fell agai