Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Volatility and Flight to Safety
US economic activity bloomberg.com increased at a slight to moderate pace across most regions, though growing numbers reported flat or declining activity, the Federal Reserve said. Investors are rushing into US money-market funds, lifting total assets to a record $8.271 trillion, as the war in Iran fuels a broad flight to safety. Gold slumped more than 5% after a four-day rally as traders weighed the escalating war in the Middle East against the prospect of a stronger dollar and elevated inflation.
Energy Markets and Geopolitical Impact
Oil storage bloomberg.com is filling fast in the Middle East with Hormuz blocked as producers across the region face a tense countdown. Supertankers have begun to abandon planned voyages into the Persian Gulf and seek safer destinations amid the turmoil at the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping strait has reached a near standstill amid the war between the US, Israel, and Iran. Iran continued loading crude onto tankers at its Kharg Island oil terminal on Monday, two days after the US and Israel launched air attacks against the Persian Gulf country.
Private Markets and Credit
Blackstone bloomberg.com financed its acquisition of residential services provider Champions Group with a more than $1 billion private credit loan as buyout firms and lenders seek refuge from sectors prone to volatility. Apollo Global Management bloomberg.com’s John Zito said the turmoil facing private credit could endure well into next year, but downplayed the idea that the wave of withdrawals in some funds are a problem. BlackRock bloomberg.com’s Scott Kapnick, who leads the firm’s private credit business, said the biggest players will capitalize on the current industry turmoil while some of its smaller lenders may get left behind.
Emerging Markets and Investment Flows
Investors bloomberg.com kept putting money into exchange-traded funds that invest in emerging-markets this week even as markets convulsed, indicating confidence that the war in the Middle East won’t roil risk assets. A structural convergence between advanced and developing economies is creating “significant” opportunities in emerging markets even as escalating tensions in the Middle East unsettle global investors, according to Double Line. Temasek bloomberg.com CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara says “We’ll continue to invest significantly in the US and US dollar denominated assets.”
Corporate News and IPO Activity
MiniMed Group bloomberg.com, a maker of diabetes management devices that will be separated from health giant Medtronic Plc, is spurring debate among analysts over whether its growth prospects justify the valuation. Vale Base Metals bloomberg.com is working to get its sprawling nickel-and-copper business ready for a potential initial public offering by midyear, sooner than previously indicated. Centurium Capital Partners bloomberg.com is in advanced talks to acquire Nestle SA’s Blue Bottle Coffee, according to people familiar with the situation.
Regional Market Developments
New Zealand house prices bloomberg.com edged higher in February, though the property market remained broadly subdued with values still down on a year earlier and more than 17% below their 2022 peak. UK house prices investing.com rose 0.3% in February as market recovery continues. Canadian authorities wsj.com must step up their surveillance of lending by nonbank players like hedge funds and institutional investors to minimize risks to financial stability, Bank of Canada Gov. Tiff Macklem said.
Technology and AI Sector
CPUs finance.yahoo.com are back en vogue in the data center as demand shifts. Apple wsj.com is leveraging its supply-chain might, making a play for more share in cheaper phone and laptop categories. CrowdStrike wsj.com CEO George Kurtz said demand and revenue are climbing despite market fears that the rise of artificial intelligence could upend software makers. AI tools wsj.com could help displace established business software in some segments of the market.
Market Outlook and Strategy
BTIG bloomberg.com has become the latest to see a light at the end of the tunnel for US stock investors, joining Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citadel Securities in their bullish calls. Citadel Securities’ bloomberg.com Scott Rubner said his fundamental analysis of the market signals now is a time to turn bullish. Kamakshya Trivedi bloomberg.com at Goldman Sachs sees inflation trending down if there is a quick resolution to the war on Iran, allowing the Federal Reserve to deliver two interest-rate cuts.
Regulatory and Policy Developments
The US Securities and Exchange Commission bloomberg.com asked leveraged-ETF issuers not to move forward with a new wave of planned funds, using a rare group call Monday to renew its push against increasingly aggressive products. The Justice Department has been investigating whether several leading producers of commercial fertilizers colluded to raise prices, according to people familiar with the matter. The BIS ft.com defended its global rulemaking role against US criticism as Trump administration officials are suspicious of standards being set for American banks by a Europe-based body.
Consumer and Retail Trends
Campari wsj.com set out cautiously positive guidance for a year in which it expects sales and earnings growth to be tempered by trade tariffs and currency effects. On Holding wsj.com said profit and sales climbed in the fourth quarter, but the running shoe maker’s sales outlook for the current year underwhelmed investors. Ross Stores investing.com received an upgrade after a strong holiday-quarter beat, indicating resilient consumer spending in certain retail segments.
Infrastructure and Industrial
Baker Hughes bloomberg.com is planning to raise about $10 billion from a cross-border bond sale to help fund its acquisition of Chart Industries Inc., according to people with knowledge of the matter. Beiersdorf investing.com sank 15% after disappointing 2026 outlook on cost and FX pressures. SIG Group investing.com swung to FY25 loss on €351 million strategic hit and suspended dividend, highlighting industrial sector challenges amid geopolitical tensions.
Defense and Aerospace
German defense technology firm bloomberg.com Vincorion is set to begin formally marketing its initial public offering in Frankfurt this week, despite equity markets being roiled by conflict in the Middle East. South Korean defense contractors bloomberg.com are looking at more deals and investments in the Philippines to support the Southeast Asian nation’s military modernization amid longstanding geopolitical tensions in the region.
Financial Services and Asset Management
Victory Capital bloomberg.com Chair and CEO Dave Brown discusses the firm’s ongoing efforts to acquire Janus Henderson despite the asset manager’s existing agreement to be bought by Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management. BlackRock bloomberg.com called for more active management and the inclusion of private assets in 401(k)s, contending index investing alone is no longer sufficient to manage risk and fund retirements that can now last decades.
Agricultural and Commodity Markets
Peru’s agricultural exporters bloomberg.com are rushing to prepare for an unexpected year of bad weather that could slow a long growth streak that turned the South American nation into a fruit and vegetable powerhouse. US-listed chemicals stocks bloomberg.com are likely to benefit from tighter supply and higher prices fueled by the war with Iran, according to analysts. African dollar bonds bloomberg.com posted a broad recovery Wednesday even as investors remain anxious over how long the Iran war will last.
Healthcare and Life Sciences
Ohio Dominican University bloomberg.com didn’t make a bond payment due on March 1 — the latest sign of the school’s financial woes. Medtronic Diabetes Unit Mini Med’s IPO sparks analyst debate over growth prospects and valuation. Medline’s bloomberg.com PE backers start stake sale worth $3.4 billion, capitalizing on a rally in the medical supplier’s stock since its debut late last year."