Financial Markets Daily Report
18 marzo 2026
Risk sentiment continued to improve and volatility eased during yesterday’s session, despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Global equities advanced, with gains led by energy stocks, while the US dollar weakened. Brent crude rose further above $100/barrel, with futures markets pointing to a decline toward $82/barrel by year-end.
Risk sentiment continued to improve and volatility eased during yesterday’s session, despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Global equities advanced, with gains led by energy stocks, while the US dollar weakened. Brent crude rose further above $100/barrel, with futures markets pointing to a decline toward $82/barrel by year-end.
Euro area sovereign yields declined for a second consecutive session as inflation concerns continued to ease. US Treasury yields were broadly unchanged, with a slight decline at the long end of the curve ahead of today’s Fed meeting, widely expected to keep rates unchanged at 3.50–3.75% (see our take here).
In commodities, European natural gas (TTF) traded in the €50–51/MWh range, with futures broadly pricing similar levels in the coming months before easing below €50/MWh by year-end. Gold was little changed, holding near $5,000/ounce. The euro strengthened sligtly, trading around 1.15 against the USD.