Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 12, 2026, 5:31 AM ET
Public Markets
Equities & Commodities
Oil futures slipped 1.3% ft.com in early Asian trade as OPEC+ signaled potential output increases, while gold held steady near $2,340 nytimes.com as a weakening dollar offset risk-on sentiment. A surge in aluminum prices nytimes.com pushed China Hongqiao's Zhang Bo past the $48 billion mark, cementing his position among Asia's wealthiest industrialists. Meanwhile, U.S. airline bonds weakened bloomberg.com after jet fuel costs spiked 8% on Middle East supply fears, and Chicago's planned muni bond sale bloomberg.com is testing investor appetite amid geopolitical uncertainty.
Fixed Income
Japanese government bonds extended gains bloomberg.com tracking overnight Treasury rallies as traders increasingly price in a September Fed rate cut. European natural gas rose on LNG supply fears wsj.com due to the Middle East squeeze, while U.S. airline bonds weakened bloomberg.com on fuel cost spikes. German 10-year yields climbed to the highest since October 2023 bloomberg.com as rising energy prices fueled inflation fears, and European bonds rebounded bloomberg.com on a drop in energy prices offering relief.
Geopolitics & Markets
The Iran war tightened the Strait of Hormuz bloomberg.com, forcing Saudi pipeline shipments to avoid the perilous chokepoint ft.com, though they now face Houthi attacks. This fueled a surge in oil prices above $100 wsj.com, prompting European gas prices to rise wsj.com as buyers competed for LNG cargoes. The conflict also spurred a shift in global LNG flows bloomberg.com, diverting shipments to Asia, and drove up Indian rupee hedging costs bloomberg.com as importers braced for more pain.
Corporate Developments
Honda Motor warned of a $15.7 billion charge wsj.com from its EV strategy reassessment, joining a growing list of carmakers battered by North America's EV market slowdown. BMW expects flat margins bloomberg.com this year due to tariffs and China's luxury downturn, while Daimler Truck reported a 29% drop in adjusted earnings wsj.com despite growing order intake. Tesla secured a UK license bloomberg.com to supply electricity, expanding its energy division's reach.
Capital Markets & Regulation
Deutsche Bank raised its bonus pool bloomberg.com by 6.6% despite mixed performance, while Ex-bankers sued the bank for £600 million ft.com over the Paschi case. JPMorgan and UBS dropped a hedge fund bloomberg.com involved in a Hong Kong insider trading probe, and Private credit defaults could double ft.com to above 5% in coming years, according to a Swiss fund chair. Private credit's redemption pressure bloomberg.com is creating volatility, with firms like Pimco's fund slumping 17% bloomberg.com in March.
Technology & Innovation
BlackRock, L&G, and UBS held stakes in BP ft.com despite its oil and gas pivot, while Apple's CEO Tim Cook faced scrutiny ft.com over Epstein ties. AI-driven systems are transforming warfare ft.com, with systems from Palantir and Anthropic aiding in battlefield data analysis, and China's Gen Z traders drive markets bloomberg.com using chatbots. Tesla's energy division bloomberg.com secured a UK license, and Uber, Nissan, and Wayve teamed up wsj.com for Tokyo robotaxi pilots.