Inflation fears mount; stocks, bonds, yen plunge; oil choppy

Market news for March 23, 2026: Inflation fears mounted as global stocks and bonds plunged, while US bond yields hit eight-month peaks. Escalating Middle East war threats drove oil volatility and lifted the dollar amid a scramble for safe-haven assets. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bel…

Infrastructure Threats, Sliding Markets, and Gold's Worst Week in Forty Years

Headline news for March 23, 2026: The US and Iran threaten each other's civilian infrastructure. Asian markets slide. Gold posts its worst week since 1983. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Claressa Monteiro (claremb@sph.com.sg)  Produ…

Familiarity: portfolio's silent risk, hidden concentration builds

Is your portfolio trapped by comfort? Familiarity masks hidden risks, turning winners into dangerous concentrations. Discover the subtle signs of shared risk drivers—beyond sector labels—and learn measured, panic-free strategies to trim concentrated positions. Stop chasing the herd. Howie Lim gets …

Oil shock's rate repricing: G4 holds, gold bullish, dollar firms

Oil shock, rate repricing, and a hawkish dilemma. The Middle East conflict has thrown global markets into turmoil, sparking rate hike speculation even as G4 central banks hold steady. Will the 'transitory' argument survive soaring crude prices? What’s up with the firm dollar, bullish gold, and stag…

Energy Strikes, Arms Sales, and Central Banks on Alert

Headline news for March 20, 2026: Trump orders Israel to halt strikes on Iranian energy sites as tit-for-tat attacks on Gulf infrastructure send oil toward $119. G7 central banks warn they are ready to act on inflation. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Tim…

War rages, oil soars, yen wobbles: stagflation fears mount

Market news for March 19, 2026: Stocks slid and oil prices rose sharply today after a major escalation in the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran rattled investors, fuelling stagflation fears as central banks worldwide grapple with surging energy costs. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell r…

Oil at $107, a Hawkish Fed, and a War That's Widening

Headline news for March 19, 2026: Israel strikes Iran's South Pars gas field, triggering retaliatory attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure. Oil surges past $107. The Fed holds rates steady amid rising inflation fears from the widening war. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day…

Asia rallies, oil prices ease, war clouds remain

Market news for March 18, 2026: Asian shares rallied as oil prices eased on an Iraq-Turkey deal, shifting focus to the Fed's balance of growth and inflation risks amid escalating Middle East conflict and Iran's defiant strikes. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business…

Tehran Loses Its Strongman as Trump Turns on NATO

Headline news for March 18, 2026: Iran confirms the killing of security chief Ali Larijani as its new supreme leader rejects peace overtures. Trump clashes with NATO over the Strait of Hormuz. Oil pulls back on rising US stockpiles. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The…

Asian stocks climb on rate hopes despite Middle East conflict

Market news for March 17, 2026: Stocks climbed on rate hopes despite Middle East conflict, led by Asia-Pacific gains. Australia hiked rates amid sticky inflation, setting a cautious tone for major central banks weighing the Iran war's impact. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup …