Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Volatility
US stocks bloomberg.com tumbled as the US-Israeli attack on Iran drove oil prices higher, with the S&P 500 experiencing its worst week since June. The S&P 500 wsj.com fell 1.2% as investors fled to safety amid escalating Middle East tensions. Canadian equities bloomberg.com slumped the most since April's tariff-fueled rout, with miners selling off as traditional safe havens like gold also came under pressure.
Energy & Commodities
Oil prices surged as the Strait of Hormuz all but closed to shipping, pushing crude to multi-month highs. Gold bloomberg.com slumped more than 5% after a four-day rally as traders weighed Middle East war risks against the prospect of a stronger dollar and elevated inflation. Coal prices bloomberg.com jumped the most in three years as Qatar's LNG plant shutdown raised fuel-switching needs in the electricity sector.
Geopolitical Impact
Federal Reserve officials bloomberg.com said it's too early to assess the Iran war's impact on US inflation and monetary policy. Fed's Williams bloomberg.com said the economic fallout hinges on how long attacks affect asset prices, especially oil. Fed's Kashkari examined potential inflation impacts on the United States from the war with Iran and what it could mean for monetary policy.
Private Markets
Ares Management CEO bloomberg.com called a UBS forecast of 15% private credit default rates "absolutely wrong," while Apollo CEO investing.com warned of a shakeout in private credit amid rising defaults. Apollo's Marc Rowan bloomberg.com said "this will be a shakeout" and doesn't think it will be short term. Blackstone wsj.com saw record $1.7 billion in outflows from its $82 billion private credit fund as concerns mount. Blue Owl ft.com slid below its listing price as private credit worries intensify.
Emerging Markets
South African interest-rate traders bloomberg.com moved to price in a chance of a rate hike later this month as the Iran conflict pushed oil prices higher. JPMorgan bloomberg.com dialed back bullish emerging-markets calls on Iran war risks. Russia bloomberg.com gets a chance to boost oil income as war disrupts Hormuz shipping, potentially strengthening its war chest.
Fixed Income
Treasuries bloomberg.com saw a rout as Iran conflict reignited inflation worries, with investors scaling back bets on easier monetary policy. UK bonds bloomberg.com faced pressure as the government slashed bond sales to a three-year low amid Middle East turmoil. The UK bloomberg.com may revive switch auctions to boost gilt-market liquidity.
Corporate News
Colgate-Palmolive wsj.com turned to AI evangelist Iraklis Pappas to drive employees toward using AI for more than just polishing emails. MongoDB investing.com was downgraded by Baird on Atlas growth concerns and AI revenue timing. Vale Base Metals bloomberg.com aims to be IPO-ready by midyear, sooner than previously indicated.
Technology & Innovation
Nvidia investing.com maintained a $78 billion sales outlook that defies scale concerns. HSBC investing.com upgraded Block, citing a "material increase in earnings power." Deutsche Boerse investing.com was upgraded by Jefferies on valuation and volatility hedge appeal.
Regional Markets
Australia's dollar bloomberg.com has scope to extend its advance versus the greenback, strategists say, even as speculative bullish bets stay near eight-year highs. UAE markets bloomberg.com will resume trading March 4 after Iran crisis closure. Thailand's central bank bloomberg.com kept its key rate unchanged as Middle East strikes spurred oil surge.
Financial Services
CME bloomberg.com rebuffed traders seeking to recoup losses from a natural gas trading outage. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange rejected demands for compensation from at least two natural gas investors who lost money when a technical glitch disrupted trading. HSBC ft.com warned that new AI assessment systems in professional services fail to identify money laundering risks.
Real Estate & Construction
Brookfield Residential CFO bloomberg.com said the US economy is showing resilience despite market volatility. Builder eyes Morris County tract yahoo.com for 640 new housing units and retail development. UK's Rosebank bloomberg.com plans to buy two specialty manufacturing companies in the US for $3.05 billion, tapping equity markets to help fund the deal.
Market Strategy
Soros CIO bloomberg.com said investors face a "painful" 18-24 months as markets grapple with geopolitical risks and AI disruption threats. Apollo's Rowan bloomberg.com discussed scaling of private markets and how the firm is evolving its business to remain competitive. Voya's Vaillancourt bloomberg.com said most clients "stay the course" during volatile times.