Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Last updated: August 16, 2026, 2:37 AM ET
Energy & Commodities
Oil futures ft.com slipped 1.3% in early Asian trade as OPEC+ signaled output increases. Gold ft.com held steady near $2,340/oz despite a weakening dollar. European companies ft.com are counting the costs of extreme heat, with businesses flagging effects of drought and wildfires on a record share of earnings calls in recent weeks.
Fixed Income
JGBs bloomberg.com extended their rally, tracking overnight Treasury gains as traders priced in a September rate cut. China bloomberg.com revised the release time for its July economic data to 3 p.m. Monday, breaking with recent practice and potentially affecting fixed-income market positioning.
Equities
Harvey Nichols ft.com deal hints at department stores' hidden potential as services won't restore the golden age but could give young shoppers a reason to return. UK housebuilders ft.com are set to see profits fall 12% this year as developers resort to bulk sales to shift homes in a sluggish market. BlackBerry ft.com is making a tech comeback a decade after its handsets disappeared, with the company's future now resting on car and security software.
Commodities & Metals
Miner Ferrexpo ft.com is caught up in a dispute between an oligarch and Kyiv, with the iron ore group trying to raise cash while a sanctions-hit shareholder fights to maintain his stake. The company ft.com appears near insolvency as the conflict escalates.
Asia Pacific
Hong Kong bloomberg.com airport passenger traffic jumped 11.7% on year in the first half as the Asian financial hub hosted events and attracted more visitors. China bloomberg.com is accelerating the establishment of rules governing recycling and reuse of wind and solar equipment, aiming to set up a closed-loop system for industry waste before 2030.
Commodities
World's largest carmakers ft.com are seeking to avert a motor oil crisis as a shortage of Group III base oils prompts auto manufacturers to turn to new blends. The supply crunch has sent shockwaves through the automotive supply chain.
Geopolitics
Europe nytimes.com is not ready for American weed as the race to go global intensifies in the cannabis sector. India nytimes.com faces growing concerns about online harassment of women who joined protests, with widespread abuse and police visits highlighting added risks for activists in patriarchal society. Italy nytimes.com is seeing an African pastor fill the void left by scarce priests in rural areas, as immigrants ease labor shortages across multiple sectors including agriculture and manufacturing.