Financial Markets Daily Report
17 març 2026
Signs of easing tensions in energy markets supported a modest improvement in risk sentiment. Reports of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, alongside comments from the IEA on potential reserve releases, pushed Brent crude down by around 3% to $100/barrel. Global equities rebounded, volatility declined, and the US dollar weakened (EUR/USD rose toward 1.15).
Sovereign bond yields fell on both sides of the Atlantic, as softer oil prices helped ease inflation concerns. Investors now turn their focus to this week’s central bank meetings—the Fed (Wednesday) and the ECB, BoJ and BoE (Thursday)—for guidance on the implications of the conflict for inflation and the policy outlook.
In other central bank developments, a US judge blocked subpoenas targeting Fed Chair Powell related to the investigation into the Fed’s building renovations, alleging that the probe constituted an improper attempt to influence monetary policy. In commodities markets, European natural gas (TTF) held around €50/MWh, while gold traded near $5000/ounce.