Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Last updated: March 12, 2026, 7:32 AM ET
Energy Markets
The Iran war is causing unprecedented oil market disruption bloomberg.com, hitting 7.5% of global supply and an even bigger swath of exports, the International Energy Agency said, marking the largest supply shock in history. Oil traders are bracing for further volatility ft.com as the conflict chokes crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz, with container rates to Europe jumping bloomberg.com over the past week as the war disrupts one of the world's busiest shipping routes. Ukraine's strike on Russian pipeline hubs bloomberg.com in Krasnodar has compounded supply concerns, while Russia's oil-export revenue bloomberg.com shrank in February to the lowest since its invasion of Ukraine after Western sanctions forced deeper price discounts.
Global Inflation Pressures
India's inflation accelerated in February bloomberg.com before the Middle East conflict, putting pressure on policymakers as disruption to energy supplies pushes up oil and gas prices. The country is now in talks with Iran bloomberg.com to secure safe passage for more than 20 tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, bond traders are pricing in bigger deficits bloomberg.com globally as war spending drives U.S. 30-year Treasury yields toward 4.9%, part of a broader move higher in borrowing costs amid concerns over how the conflict will add to budget pressures.
Corporate Developments
Zalando shares jumped after announcing wsj.com a share buyback of up to $347 million, adding that its Scayle software unit expanded in the U.S. and secured a partnership with Levi Strauss. Tesla's China shipments rebounded bloomberg.com in February bucking industry trends, while Li Auto profit slid wsj.com as sales and margins deteriorated amid flagging demand. Honda is warning of a $15 billion loss ft.com after scrapping EV models, becoming the latest casualty from a souring outlook for U.S. electric vehicle sales.
Financial Markets
Emerging-market currencies are facing near-term pain bloomberg.com as the Iran war escalates, according to options pricing measures. The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. has selected 20 bankers bloomberg.com for its long-awaited $2.5 billion IPO. Meanwhile, Qatar Aluminum is altering shutdown plans bloomberg.com to avert a full halt, maintaining operations at about 60% capacity following confirmation that the plant will continue running.
Technology & Media
Universal will give movies longer exclusive theatrical runs nytimes.com, guaranteeing theaters a minimum of five weekends of exclusive play starting next year, up from the pandemic-era three-week guarantee. The BBC is facing a real-terms funding freeze ft.com for its World Service as the UK government negotiates a deal expected to set only an inflationary increase in funding for the global news provider.
Regional Developments
Peru's prolonged natural gas pipeline leak bloomberg.com is laying bare the costs of chronic political instability, a phenomenon often shrugged off by investors. In Europe, funding rounds have never been bigger bloomberg.com thanks to U.S. cash, with Berlin-based software startup n8n receiving 14 offers from American investors during its last funding round. The FCA is warning it will take action ft.com on mis-selling of 'second charge' mortgages after finding concerning practices in the UK market.
Labor & Employment
Companies are facing a 9.5% surge wsj.com in health insurance costs this year, the biggest rise in at least 15 years, as CFOs seek ways to blunt the financial impact. Meanwhile, coders are turning to AI agents nytimes.com to automate their jobs, with many Silicon Valley programmers now barely programming as they adapt to the era of artificial intelligence.