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 …

Hormuz Standoff, AI Rally and Singapore's Export Slowdown

Headline news for March 17, 2026: War in the Gulf reshapes global energy as allies rebuff Trump's call for warships. AI drives Wall Street higher amid Meta layoffs. Singapore exports slow as regional disruption deepens. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Tim…

Asian markets wary, oil high, rates on pause

Market news for March 16, 2026: Asian markets were wary as Gulf tensions kept oil high, complicating inflation outlooks and leading central banks to pause or, in one case, hike rates. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market moveme…

War, Oil and the Waterway the World Depends On

Headline news for March 16, 2026: The US-Israeli war on Iran, now in its third week, has largely choked the Strait of Hormuz, rattling global energy markets and prompting Trump to rally allies to help reopen the vital waterway. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Busi…

Tech alpha: why adoption and R&D matter more than P/E

Technology alpha: myth or opportunity? Can tech fortunes be found in adoption and R&D? Apparently, author Igor Pejic thinks so. Howie Lim gets him to decode Big Tech risk, spot the real game-changers from the hype, and navigate the volatile waves of AI, geopolitics, and regulation. Synopsis: Every…

Oil shock stalls stocks: Geopolitical risk trumps fundamentals

Oil shock stalls stocks—but is this market panic justified? As crude prices soar towards $100, the narrative of a massive sell-off should be challenged. Howie Lim speaks to Steve Sosnick from Interactive Brokers to discover why the historical context of Middle East conflicts suggests a quick reboun…