ANZ and Westpac Forecast Two RBA Rate Hikes in March and May 2026 
U.S.-Israel War on Iran Sends Crude Oil Prices Surging Amid Strait of Hormuz Tensions 
Gold Prices Slip as U.S.-Israel-Iran War Fuels Dollar and Oil Demand 
Asia FX Steady as Iran War Signals and U.S. Inflation Data Weigh on Sentiment 
U.S. Markets Slip Amid Iran Conflict Uncertainty as Oil Prices Retreat 
Diesel Price Surge Threatens Global Economy Amid Middle East Conflict 
IEA Releases Record 400 Million Barrels of Oil Amid U.S.-Iran War 
RBA Rate Decision: Deputy Governor Signals Genuine Debate Ahead of March Meeting 
Dollar Stabilizes Amid Iran War Uncertainty as Oil Prices Remain Elevated 
IEA Plans Record Emergency Oil Release Amid Iran Strait of Hormuz Crisis 
Gold Prices Climb Above $5,200 as Iran War Uncertainty and Inflation Data Loom 
Iran-Israel War Sparks Global Oil Crisis as Tankers Burn in Gulf Waters 
UK Housing Market Slows Amid Geopolitical Tensions and Mortgage Rate Fears 
Chinese AI Stocks Surge as Tencent, MiniMax, and Zhipu Launch Agentic AI Programs 
Nations will release an extra 400 million barrels of oil to the market. All we need to do now is not panic at the pump 
German Exports Drop 2.3% in January, Exceeding Forecast Decline 
Bank of Japan Expected to Hold Rates at 0.75% Before June Hike Amid Middle East War Uncertainty 
U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s global tariffs, easing investor concerns and lifting major Wall Street indexes. The 6-3 ruling invalidated tariffs introduced last year under a federal law designed for national emergencies, sparking a relief rally across equity markets.
Although Trump criticized the decision and announced plans to implement a 10% global tariff for 150 days under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, investors reacted positively. Market participants were reassured that the replacement tariff was lower than feared, reducing uncertainty around U.S. trade policy and its impact on corporate earnings.
The S&P 500 climbed 0.69% to 6,909.51, while the Nasdaq Composite surged 0.90% to 22,886.07. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.47% to 49,625.97. For the week, the S&P 500 gained 1.08%, the Nasdaq rose 1.51%, and the Dow added 0.25%. Despite the weekly gains, the S&P 500 is up nearly 1% in 2026, trailing MSCI’s global stock index, which has risen more than 3%.
Technology heavyweights led the rally. Alphabet jumped 3.7%, Amazon gained 2.6%, and Apple rose 1.5%, supporting broader market momentum. Communication services surged 2.65%, making it the best-performing S&P 500 sector, followed by a 1.27% rise in consumer discretionary stocks. Companies previously pressured by tariffs, including Hasbro, Wayfair, Williams-Sonoma, and RH, also posted modest gains.
Investors remain focused on economic data and Federal Reserve policy. Recent reports showed slower U.S. economic growth in the fourth quarter and rising inflation in December. According to CME’s FedWatch Tool, traders see just over a 50% chance of a Fed rate cut by June.
Attention is also turning to Nvidia’s upcoming earnings, as volatility in AI-related stocks continues amid concerns over high valuations and uncertain returns on artificial intelligence investments. Meanwhile, trading volume was light at 18.3 billion shares, below the 20-session average of 20.3 billion.
