Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Last updated: March 11, 2026, 11:30 PM ET
ENERGY &COMMODITIES
Oil futures dropped 1.3% wsj.com in early Asian trade after OPEC+ signaled potential output increases, while gold held near $2,340 bloomberg.com as a weakening dollar offset risk-on sentiment. A surge in aluminum prices bloomberg.com pushed China Hongqiao's Zhang Bo past the $48 billion mark, cementing his position among Asia's wealthiest industrialists. The escalating Hormuz crisis deepened, with Oman evacuating all vessels from its key oil export terminal at Mina Al Fahal as a precautionary measure, according to port agents, and two oil tankers were attacked in Iraqi waters, prompting terminal suspensions bloomberg.com. These developments, coupled with attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, significantly amplified supply disruption fears, driving the broader energy complex higher.
FIXED INCOME
Japanese government bonds extended gains bloomberg.com tracking overnight Treasury rallies as traders increasingly price in a September Fed rate cut. However, U.S. airline bonds weakened nytimes.com after jet fuel costs spiked 8% on Middle East supply fears, and Chicago's planned muni bond sale bloomberg.com is testing investor appetite amid geopolitical uncertainty. The potential class-action lawsuit seeking to force Costco to refund tariff costs to customers wsj.com adds another layer of volatility to consumer sector credit markets.
TECH & OTHER SECTORS
Australian software company Atlassian axed 10% of its workforce ft.com to adapt to the AI threat, becoming the latest technology firm to cull roles. Meanwhile, China's humanoid robot development continues apace, with a network of training farms aiming to supply the data needed to put 'brains' into machines ft.com. In Peru, the presidential race remains wide open, with the frontrunner holding just 11% support according to a new poll bloomberg.com, while the Pentagon's decision to bar photographers from Iran war briefings nytimes.com signals heightened information control. Hedge funds are ramping up bullish bets on the Australian dollar in options markets ahead of the RBA decision bloomberg.com, and South Korean options look cheap amid wild market swings bloomberg.com.