Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Last updated: March 12, 2026, 8:31 AM ET
Energy & Commodities
Oil futures slipped 0.3% bloomberg.com in early Asian trade as OPEC+ signaled potential output increases, while gold held steady bloomberg.com near $2,340/oz despite a weakening dollar. A surge in aluminum prices bloomberg.com catapulted China Hongqiao's Zhang Bo to a $48 billion fortune, making him one of Asia's wealthiest industrialists. Meanwhile, Qatar Aluminum Ltd. bloomberg.com reversed plans to fully shut down its smelter, opting to maintain operations at 60% capacity to avoid supply disruptions.
Fixed Income & Rates
Japanese government bonds extended their rally bloomberg.com tracking overnight gains in U.S. Treasurys as traders priced in a September Fed rate cut. Government-bond yields rose before stabilizing wsj.com Thursday as oil prices and Middle East tensions worsened inflation and growth outlooks. The yield on the 30-year U.S. Treasury bond climbed toward 4.9% bloomberg.com, part of a global move higher in borrowing costs amid deficit concerns. Deutsche Bank flagged commercial real estate bloomberg.com as a "key risk" that could force higher provisions for credit losses as the asset class struggles with refinancings.
Equities & Corporate News
S&P 500 Index futures fell 0.3% bloomberg.com as oil prices surged amid Middle East war, with Dick's Sporting Goods wsj.com reporting higher fourth-quarter comparable sales and progress in turning around its Foot Locker brand. Dollar General logged higher profit wsj.com and sales, boosted by higher traffic and profitability initiatives. Oracle allocated an extra $500 million wsj.com to cover restructuring costs as AI models allow software job cuts. Zalando shares jumped wsj.com after announcing a $347 million share buyback and a new Levi Strauss partnership.
Emerging Markets & Geopolitics
Indian issuers withdrew $2.1 billion bloomberg.com of local-currency bond sales since the Iran war began, as investors demanded wider credit premiums. India asked China for urea bloomberg.com as Middle East gas supply disruptions threaten fertilizer production. India's inflation accelerated in February bloomberg.com before the conflict, putting pressure on policymakers as energy supply disruptions push up oil and gas prices. Turkey's central bank held rates steady bloomberg.com, pausing cuts due to war-driven energy price spikes and currency pressures.
Trade & Shipping
Spot container rates to Europe jumped over the past week bloomberg.com as the Mideast war disrupts one of the world's busiest shipping routes and lengthens delivery times. Flights across the Middle East were disrupted Thursday bloomberg.com as drone attacks inflicted damage on Iran's neighbors, unraveling coordinated passenger schedules. Ukraine struck a key hub bloomberg.com for Russia's crude-export pipeline network in the southern Krasnodar region.
Private Markets & M&A
Middle-market buyout shop Charlesbank Capital Partners agreed to buy a stake bloomberg.com in Overbay Capital Partners in a deal valuing the Canadian secondaries firm at C$200 million ($147 . Blue Owl Capital defended its $1.4 billion loan sale bloomberg.com, arguing the transaction contained no backstops or hidden incentives. Private equity's private credit problem extends beyond lenders nytimes.com, with many on Wall Street warning that pain could spread further through the financial system.
Technology & Innovation
Job postings for 'forward deployed engineers' are surging among tech companies wsj.com, though engineers aren't exactly clamoring for the role. The hottest job in tech isn't very glamorous wsj.com, reflecting a shift in how companies deploy technical talent. Meanwhile, emerging-market currencies face near-term pain bloomberg.com as the Iran war escalates, according to key options pricing measures.