Public Markets 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 12, 2026, 7:32 AM ET
Energy & Commodities
Oil futures surged past $100 as the Iran war choked crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz, with the International Energy Agency slashing its supply growth forecast after a historic emergency stock release. European natural gas followed oil higher as shipping turmoil expanded across the Middle East, while palm oil futures extended their rally for the fifth gain in six sessions as crude's jump above $100 boosted demand prospects for biofuel feedstocks. Qatar Aluminum altered shutdown plans to maintain operations at 60% capacity, averting a full halt after confirming continued plant viability amid rising energy costs.
Fixed Income & Currency Markets
Global bonds surrendered 2026 gains as elevated oil prices stoked inflation fears, triggering selloffs across fixed-income markets from U.S. 30-year Treasurys climbing toward 4.9% to German 10-year yields hitting highest levels since October 2023. The Indian rupee slid to record lows as foreign investors stayed defensive, with hedging costs surging as importers rushed for cover amid soaring crude prices. The dollar headed for a 2026 high as options markets showed maximum bullishness since 2022, with emerging-market currencies facing near-term pain as the Iran war escalated.
Corporate & M&A Activity
Deutsche Bank raised its bonus pool 6.6% amid mixed performance, less than Wall Street peers, while former employees sued for $1 billion over the Paschi case. Honda warned of $15.7 billion charges as it rethinks its electric vehicle strategy, joining a growing list of global brands battered by the U.S. EV downturn, while BMW projected flat margins due to tariff costs and intensifying Chinese competition. Blackstone arranged a $1.2 billion credit facility for Air Trunk's expansion into Japanese data centers, part of a broader push by private equity into AI infrastructure assets across Asia-Pacific.
Equities & IPO Markets
Indian food delivery stocks dropped sharply as restaurants warned of cooking-gas disruptions after the Middle East conflict triggered a supply crunch. The National Stock Exchange of India selected 20 bankers for its long-awaited $2.5 billion IPO, while Zalando shares jumped after announcing a $347 million share buyback and a U.S. partnership with Levi Strauss. Emerging-market equities extended their slide as energy shocks brought growth fears to the fore, with Indian assets particularly hard hit by the crude price surge.
Shipping & Logistics
Spot container rates to Europe jumped over the past week as the Mideast war disrupted one of the world's busiest shipping routes and lengthened delivery times. Iron ore shipments faced mounting disruptions with some cargoes diverted mid-voyage to East Asia as war choked critical shipping lanes, while supertankers rushed to Red Sea ports as Saudi pipelines allowed ships to avoid the perilous Strait of Hormuz but exposed them to Houthi attacks. Chinese refiners began canceling fuel export cargoes including gasoline and diesel as Beijing tightened curbs to cope with the supply shock.
Technology & Innovation
Tesla's energy division secured a UK electricity supply license, giving the company access to potential customers in British homes and businesses. Uber, Nissan, and Wayve teamed up to offer robotaxi services in Tokyo with a pilot program planned for late 2026. Meanwhile, RWE planned new U.S. gas power plants in a $20 billion push to meet data center demand, accounting for nearly half of what the German energy company plans to spend globally as AI infrastructure strains existing grids.
Defense & Aerospace
Leonardo targeted higher revenue and earnings as the defense order boom continued, with orders expected to rise to about €25 billion from €23.8 billion last year and targeting €32 billion by 2030. The AI-driven "kill chain" transformed U.S. warfare as systems from Palantir and Anthropic helped turn battlefield data into thousands of strikes, while the U.S. military faced growing cyber threats as the lines between physical and digital warfare blurred in the age of AI.
Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Li Auto reported sliding profits as sales and margins deteriorated, grappling with flagging sales while trying to make headway in the highly competitive full-electric market. The weight-loss drug market shifted from jabs to pills as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy tablet offered a window to win back market share from Eli Lilly. Meanwhile, rising medical costs forced Americans to cut spending or borrow money for healthcare, with over 80 million people making sacrifices like skipping meals and driving less.
Real Estate & Infrastructure
John Lewis paid its first annual bonus to staff in four years at 2% after cutting other benefits including its final-salary pension. UK water utilities may finally be worth a dip despite a recent price bump, with valuations still relatively low as water takeovers faced national security screening. London's capital markets saw overseas firms dominate in recent years, but Simon Peckham at Rosebank pushed in the opposite direction with a "buy, improve, sell" strategy targeting undervalued UK assets.
Mining & Resources
Mali announced a special mining brigade with judicial powers to oversee gold mining and quarrying sites in the West African nation. Peru's natural gas pipeline leak laid bare costs of political instability, a phenomenon often shrugged off by investors but now revealing significant economic impacts. Standard Bank reported record profit as growing client base bolstered fee income and market volatility drove trading revenue, making it Africa's biggest lender by assets.
Automotive Industry
Tesla China shipments rebounded in February bucking the industry trend as the EV maker weathered challenges from a nine-day Lunar New Year lull and gradual phase-out of subsidies. China's auto sales dropped amid cooling demand weighed by the holiday and subdued consumer activity, while Honda's EV strategy reassessment added to industry headwinds as the Japanese automaker warned of up to $15.7 billion in charges from its global EV downturn reassessment.