Chinese Stocks Fall on Friday as Oil Surge Outweighs Beijing's Support Measures

Chinese stock markets closed lower on Friday, 24 July 2026 (2 Mordad 1405). A surge in oil prices amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis, which has pushed Brent crude above 100 dollars a barrel, deepened worries over inflation and slowing demand and outweighed Beijing's efforts to support the market. The Shanghai Composite fell about 1.2 percent.

China is the largest buyer of Iranian crude, so how its markets and energy demand respond to the oil price spike matters for Iran's markets; softer Chinese demand could offset part of the upward pressure on global oil prices.