Europe’s sovereign bonds are facing “a perfect storm” after new inflation fears sparked by the Iran conflict forced the region’s central banks to signal a new course for interest rates on Thursday, sending yields soaring. The Bank of England left interest rates unchanged at 3.75% on Thursday, with the European Central Bank also holding steady…
Pump jacks operate in a field on March 11, 2026 in Gillett, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Friday, following volatile trading on Wall Street overnight, as the Middle East war and disruptions to energy supply keep investors jittery. Iran attacked the world’s largest gas plant in Qatar, causing damage…
A projection of a Euro currency sign is pictured on the facade of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on Dec. 30, 2025. Kirill Kudryavtsev | Afp | Getty Images Before the war on Iran began in late February, Europe’s central banks enjoyed a more benign inflation outlook as…
Smoke rises after an Israeli strike in central Beirut’s Bachoura neighbourhood, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. Claudia Greco | Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned that if Iran continued targeting Qatar’s energy facilities, America would “massively blow up the…
A pumpjack stands at the Inglewood Oil field in Los Angeles, California on March 17, 2026. Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images Oil prices extended gains as Middle East remains on the boil with strikes on energy infrastructure in the region fanning fears of a supply crunch. Qatar said Wednesday that Iranian missile…
Iran’s then incumbent Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib (C) sits with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian (C-R) before a speech to members of parliament in the capital Tehran, on August 17, 2024, as he defends his cabinet selection. Atta Kenare | Afp | Getty Images Israel’s Defense Forces said Wednesday that Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib…
Tankers sail in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. Stringer | Reuters French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told CNBC that France is willing to support the U.S. in…
Commercial vessels are pictured offshore in Dubai on March 11, 2026. – | Afp | Getty Images Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has stoked fears of the gravest disruption to global oil supply in history, as the Middle East conflict stretches into its third week. The blockade has squeezed shipping traffic…
A pump jack is seen on March 17, 2026 in Stanton, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images Oil prices slipped on Wednesday despite escalating attacks on the United Arab Emirates’ energy infrastructure, as rising U.S. crude inventories helped offset rising geopolitical risk premiums. Prices of Brent, the international benchmark, declined 1.17% to $102.19 per barrel….
Low angle view of tall buildings in Tokyo, Japan, showcasing diverse architectural styles George Pachantouris | Moment | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets were set to climb Wednesday as investors tracked escalating tensions in the Middle East. A fresh wave of attacks on the United Arab Emirates’ energy infrastructure has heightened fears of prolonged supply disruptions amid the…
