Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 6:30 PM ET
Energy Markets Turmoil
Oil futures surged past $100 bloomberg.com for the second consecutive session, reaching levels not seen in over three years as Middle East conflict disrupted global energy flows. Hedge funds turned most bullish on Brent bloomberg.com at the outset of one of the crude market's most volatile weeks ever, while Saudi Arabia ramped up production by 8% bloomberg.com before the war, according to OPEC data. The conflict has triggered market stress bloomberg.com building at the fastest pace since last year's tariff shock, with oil prices driving up borrowing costs and strengthening the dollar.
Corporate Debt Markets
U.S. investment-grade bond sales approached record levels bloomberg.com as companies including Amazon rushed to market despite Middle East turmoil. The London Stock Exchange Group sought to sell $3 billion bloomberg.com in high-grade corporate bonds as early as next week, while Vivid Seats' debt sank deeper into distress bloomberg.com after weak earnings. Oaktree's Danielle Poli warned that bigger price moves bloomberg.com in credit markets are coming, though the distressed debt shop isn't yet ready to make large-scale purchases.
Geopolitical Supply Chain Disruptions
Total Energies shut production in Qatar, Iraq, and UAE wsj.com, representing about 15% of the company's total output, as the French energy giant responded to escalating conflict. Thai oil refiners made rare purchases bloomberg.com of North Sea Fortunes crude as Asian processors scrambled to find alternatives to Middle Eastern supplies stuck in the Persian Gulf. The war has disrupted global trade wsj.com, with container rates to Europe jumping as capacity strains bloomberg.com and Thai rice exports to the Middle East halted entirely bloomberg.com.
Technology and AI Developments
Nvidia prepared to launch AI inference chips ft.com as Jensen Huang unveiled new products at GTC, responding to a market shift from AI training to running models. Meanwhile, Elon Musk pushed out more xAI founders ft.com as the AI coding effort faltered, while SpaceX investor Baillie Gifford hailed the pre-IPO takeover bloomberg.com of xAI, positioning the combined business for growth. UBS's entrepreneur clients bet on big AI gains bloomberg.com, contrasting with industries viewing the technology as a threat.
Emerging Markets Under Pressure
Emerging-market assets recorded their second weekly loss bloomberg.com as the Middle East crisis shows no signs of abating. Peru held interest rates at 4.25% bloomberg.com despite inflation accelerating above target range midpoint for the first time in over a year. South Africa's mineral exploration fell for a seventh consecutive year bloomberg.com, even as the government seeks to reverse the decline. The Philippines braced for labor market pain bloomberg.com after joblessness surged to the highest level in nearly four years.
Financial Sector Developments
Deutsche Bank raised its bonus pool by 6.6% bloomberg.com amid mixed performance, less than some Wall Street peers. The bank also identified commercial real estate bloomberg.com as a key risk that could force higher credit loss provisions. Private credit markets showed signs of stress, with investors questioning whether valuations match reality ft.com. Carlyle overhauled its European private equity team ft.com after poor performance, expected to restart fundraising in its flagship buyout fund.
Government and Regulatory Actions
The Trump administration authorized Venezuela to sell fertilizers bloomberg.com to U.S. companies, loosening sanctions as the Iran war tightens global supplies. Greece imposed profit margin caps bloomberg.com on fuel and groceries to prevent price surges stemming from Middle East turmoil. The European Commission moved to suspend duty-free sugar imports bloomberg.com for at least a year to stabilize bloc prices. China tightened fuel export curbs bloomberg.com, with refiners canceling agreed export cargoes including gasoline and diesel.
Real Estate and Infrastructure
Mexican REIT Fibra MTY raised $500 million bloomberg.com to expand its industrial portfolio, while Rio Tinto slowed construction bloomberg.com of its Quebec lithium plant as costs surged. Venture Global greenlit an $8.6 billion LNG expansion bloomberg.com in Louisiana, with its third export project. Berkeley Group warned that Middle East conflict bloomberg.com was weighing heavily on risk sentiment, though it reiterated profit guidance.
Market Sentiment and Investment Strategies
BlackRock's $220 billion model machine maintained a bullish stance bloomberg.com on U.S. equities despite geopolitical tensions roiling asset classes. Charles Schwab's CEO noted that Gen Z investors bloomberg.com are joining the dip-buying frenzy, showing up to buy equities at every pullback. Wall Street is pitching bond alternatives bloomberg.com as traditional hedges disappoint, with buffer ETFs gaining traction among investors frustrated with conventional strategies.
Healthcare and Biotechnology
Danish drugmaker Leo Pharma invited bankers to pitch bloomberg.com for roles in a potential IPO, as the more-than-a-century-old company edges toward public markets. Hims & Hers Health shares were on pace for their best week bloomberg.com on record after a new partnership with Novo Nordisk fueled optimism about the company's weight-loss drug future. The EPA moved to weaken limits nytimes.com on ethylene oxide, a gas crucial for medical device sterilization but linked to several cancers.
Banking and Financial Services
HSBC's insurance unit in Singapore attracted interest from Allianz and Sun Life Financial as bidders considered offers bloomberg.com following the bank's strategic review. CTT – Correios de Portugal sounded out advisers bloomberg.com on options for its banking business, exploring potential strategic alternatives. The IDBI Bank sale in India was set to be scrapped bloomberg.com as both bids fell below the minimum price sought by the government.
Market Infrastructure and Trading
A dramatic selloff in UK bonds since the Middle East conflict broke out presented a buying opportunity bloomberg.com for investors willing to brave the volatility. The rapid surge in oil prices jolted quant trades bloomberg.com worth $134 billion, unleashing turmoil in one of Wall Street's most popular systematic strategies. Brokers are racing to give clients access bloomberg.com to Kalshi's event bets, signaling growing interest in prediction market products.
Agricultural and Commodity Markets
Raw sugar headed for a fourth weekly gain bloomberg.com, buoyed by crude oil's rally, with traders watching Brazil for potential gasoline price increases that could boost sugar cane production. Ghana's cocoa regulator hasn't repaid over $400 million bloomberg.com in loans, raising risks it won't have enough cash to buy beans next season. The war's impact on agriculture extends beyond energy, with concerns mounting nytimes.com about food security as shipping routes remain disrupted.