Public Markets 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 15, 2026, 7:31 AM ET
Energy & Commodities
Oil futuresdropped 1.3% in early Asian trade after OPEC+ signaled potential output increases, while gold held near $2,340 as a weakening dollar offset risk-on sentiment. A surge in aluminum prices pushed China Hongqiao's Zhang Bo past the $48 billion mark, cementing his position among Asia's wealthiest industrialists. Meanwhile, renewable jet fuel may face a price war with China, warned Neste's chief, calling for a 'level playing field' following heavy investment. In the Middle East, UAE port oil loadings resumed after a drone strike and fire halted exports, though Iran war-driven oil price swings continued to fuel speculative bets, with the largest US crude ETF seeing record inflows.
Fixed Income
Japanese government bonds extended gains tracking overnight Treasury rallies as traders increasingly price in a September Fed rate cut. Conversely, U.S. airline bonds weakened after jet fuel costs spiked 8% on Middle East supply fears, and Chicago's planned muni bond sale is testing investor appetite amid geopolitical uncertainty. Australian households are likely to face increased cost-of-living pressures, with the inflation rate set to rise above 4.5% as the oil price climbs, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Sunday.
Other Markets & Macro
The Bahrain aluminum smelter's phased shutdown began to preserve raw materials, while Zelenskyy challenged Europe over Russian oil imports. Australian LNG reliability was touted as Middle East war disrupted flows, though China joined Brazil's $20bn delivery app war amid espionage claims. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto saw no rationality in the US-Israel war in Iran, while Argentina's debt restructuring talks faced hurdles after the IMF halted talks.