Public Markets 3d Briefing – Mar 13, 2026

871 articles summarized · Last updated: March 13, 2026 at 10:33 AM ET v447

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Last updated: March 13, 2026, 10:33 AM ET

Energy & Commodities

Oil futures surged past $100 bloomberg.com as OPEC output rose and Saudi Arabia boosted production amid escalating Middle East tensions, while palm oil extended gains bloomberg.com for a fifth time in six sessions as crude's rally above $100 boosted biofuels demand. Raw sugar headed for a fourth weekly gain bloomberg.com, buoyed by crude's rally and traders watching for potential Brazilian fuel policy shifts that could redirect more cane to sugar production. Meanwhile, China's auto sales dropped wsj.com as subdued demand and a nine-day Lunar New Year holiday weighed on the sector, even as BYD launched 5-minute "flash charging" ft.com technology challenging Porsche and BMW in the EV race.

The Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shut bloomberg.com with no confirmed commercial transits over 24 hours, as Iran hardened its blockade and European powers opened talks with Tehran to secure safe passage for energy shipments. India's forex reserves fell by the most since November 2024 bloomberg.com as the central bank intervened to support the rupee amid volatility, while neighboring countries turned to New Delhi bloomberg.com for fuel as Middle East war curtailed Persian Gulf supplies. Turkey and South Korea discussed joint nuclear plant construction bloomberg.com as Ankara sought to diversify energy sources away from volatile oil markets.

European stocks extended declines bloomberg.com after Iran's supreme leader said Hormuz should stay closed, adding to concerns over global oil supply disruption, while Eurozone bond yields rose to multimonth highs wsj.com as Brent surpassed $100 again. A burst of volatility in European rates markets bloomberg.com unleashed by Middle East war revived debate about hedge funds' role in amplifying swings, as traders suffered losses on options after a U-turn in ECB rate bets caught markets off guard. The forint lagged emerging peers bloomberg.com as energy price shocks amplified existing economic risks ahead of Hungary's elections, while emerging-market stocks headed for first back-to-back weekly slump since October bloomberg.com.

BlackRock maintained its bullish outlook bloomberg.com on US equities across its $220 billion model platform despite geopolitical tensions roiling asset classes, while UBS Asset Management bet the market had gotten too far ahead bloomberg.com positioning for Bank of England and ECB rate hikes. Charles Schwab forecasted 16% revenue growth bloomberg.com for Q1 as retail investors remained engaged despite economic uncertainty, though JPMorgan noted first signs of buyer fatigue bloomberg.com as Middle East escalation and inflation concerns weighed on retail risk appetite. UBS's entrepreneur clients bet AI offers biggest opportunities bloomberg.com over five years, contrasting with industries viewing it as a threat.

BNP Paribas discussed potential significant risk transfer bloomberg.com tied to €2.5 billion of corporate loans as war repriced credit risk, while Ardagh CDS holders set for 66% payout bloomberg.com after a debt restructuring saw unsecured bondholders take over the Irish packaging firm. The private credit market strain bloomberg.com reflected years of sloppy underwriting standards, according to Pimco, as Amazon seized a brief window bloomberg.com for a $54 billion global bond sale amid intensifying Iran war. Hilton Head sought $35 million in bonds bloomberg.com for fire headquarters, testing muni market appetite during geopolitical uncertainty.

China's credit expansion surprisingly picked up bloomberg.com in February, helped by improved corporate lending despite slower government bond sales, as a top-performing emerging markets fund increased exposure to Chinese AI hyperscalers bloomberg.com betting they offer better value than US tech giants. Ukraine prioritized self-sufficiency in drone manufacturing nytimes.com to reduce reliance on Chinese components, while defense contractor Exail Technologies rallied as Iran's Hormuz closure bloomberg.com highlighted its mine-destroying seagoing drones. The AI trade separated Wall Street winners and losers wsj.com, with a Point72 team scoring hundreds of millions in gains while a smaller firm closed after software stock losses.

South Africa's stock benchmark fell 10% since late February peak bloomberg.com as investors pulled away from overheated markets while Middle East conflict dragged on. Indonesia faced uphill battle to keep budget deficit within 3% cap bloomberg.com as Middle East tensions pushed oil prices far beyond initial assumptions. Nigeria's central bank prepared contingency measures to stabilize the naira bloomberg.com if pressure mounted as investors dumped riskier emerging-market assets due to Middle East crisis. India's highway authority infrastructure trust IPO was subscribed four times bloomberg.com, signaling resilient demand for yield-focused assets amid global uncertainty.

Deutsche Bank identified US commercial real estate bloomberg.com as a "key risk" that could force credit loss provisions as the asset class struggled with refinancings and stagnant demand. Hong Kong proposed lowering threshold for dual-class share listings bloomberg.com as part of broader push to revive its IPO market appeal, while regulators planned to "name and shame" lawyers and auditors ft.com for sloppy IPO work amid influx of Chinese companies seeking funds. A hedge fund caught in Hong Kong's biggest financial raids since 2017 bloomberg.com had already been a subject of intrigue in the city's close-knit financial community.

Rio Tinto slowed Quebec lithium plant construction bloomberg.com just weeks after taking majority control as costs surged, while Andreessen Horowitz-backed startup planned to revive abandoned Utah copper mine bloomberg.com to test new automation technology. Lundbeck focused capital investments on US and China bloomberg.com rather than Europe as the region faced pressure to incentivize innovation, according to the Danish drugmaker's CEO. Sweden boarded second suspected Russian shadow fleet vessel bloomberg.com as the Nordic state stepped up efforts against ships seen as security and environmental threats.

The UK government planned to overhaul nuclear regulation bloomberg.com after a review criticized it for being too risk averse and process-focused, while separately moving to speed up nuclear projects ft.com by weakening wildlife protection. India set aside $6.2 billion bloomberg.com to help the economy weather adverse impacts from global crisis, with Finance Minister Sitharaman weighing additional measures to safeguard growth. Canada's military expansion in Arctic nytimes.com included building three bases following Trump threats, with government also planning infrastructure and airport improvements in the north.

Bank of America's Michael Hartnett warned markets were starting to look like 2008 bloomberg.com as oil price spikes and private credit concerns caused market activity to resemble the global financial crisis lead-up. A 60-40 portfolio provided no help bloomberg.com as war drove stagflation threat with stocks and bonds falling in tandem on inflation and slowing growth risks. Wall Street pushed $80 billion category of equity funds bloomberg.com designed to provide downside protection as bonds failed at their key cushioning role. Economists pushed back Fed rate cut expectations to June bloomberg.com from March but still saw two quarter-point reductions by year-end, while concerns mounted over Fed chair nominee Warsh amid Iran war.