Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Moves
The S&P 500 bloomberg.com fell as the Middle East war widened, with stocks paring an oil-fueled rout after Trump's assurances on securing shipping lanes. Asian stocks fell for a third day bloomberg.com as investors grappled with uncertainty over the duration of the Middle East conflict and inflationary pressures. European shares skidded to one-month lows finance.yahoo.com as the Middle East war dragged on, dampening risk appetite globally.
Geopolitical Impact
Goldman Sachs bloomberg.com Chairman David Solomon expressed surprise at the "benign" reaction in financial markets to the Middle East conflict, noting it will take weeks to understand more about the situation. Council on Foreign Relations bloomberg.com Senior Fellow Rebecca Patterson believes the conflict will leave "no country unaffected" due to its impact on the oil industry. US President Trump bloomberg.com stated that the US has "destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships" in a Truth Social post, escalating tensions further.
Energy Markets
Oil prices wsj.com became a new haven amid wild market moves, with US oil stocks halting gains bloomberg.com as investors began pricing in a possible quick resolution to the Iran war. Natural gas wsj.com gained on Middle East turmoil and weather outlook, with Indian LNG buyers cutting supply bloomberg.com to industrial customers in anticipation of shortages after Qatar halted the world's largest export facility. Aluminum traders bloomberg.com brace for turmoil as the Iran crisis chokes supply, with manufacturers facing price spikes.
Company News
DraftKings wsj.com is using its sports-betting playbook to win the prediction markets race, aiming to overtake industry leader Kalshi as federal policymakers grapple with regulation. MongoDB bloomberg.com tumbled over 20% after giving weaker-than-expected forecasts for full-year revenue and first-quarter adjusted earnings. Blackstone bloomberg.com stated the Iran war won't affect its $20 billion Qatar deal, maintaining its appetite for investing in the Middle East. Target's bloomberg.com new CEO outlined overhaul plans from beauty to babies, pledging a return to growth.
Economic Data
China's factory activity investing.com contracted further in February, according to PMI data, suggesting ongoing economic challenges. Australia's GDP investing.com hit a three-year high in Q4, growing more than expected, while the country's stocks received a boost bloomberg.com from standout earnings results. Bond traders bloomberg.com have curbed rate cut bets as the war stokes inflation worries, with municipal bonds seeing their biggest decline bloomberg.com since a tariff-fueled selloff. The Fed's Schmid investing.com noted inflation remains nearly a point above target, complicating monetary policy decisions.