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…
QatarEnergy’s liquefied natural gas production facilities, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar, March 2, 2026. Stringer | Reuters Qatar said Wednesday that Iranian missiles caused “extensive damage” at Ras Laffan Industrial City, home to the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in the world. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry denounced…
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…
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…
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the opening bell, March 12, 2026. Timothy A. Clary | Afp | Getty Images LONDON — European stocks are set to open broadly flat on Tuesday as global markets remain volatile and oil prices continue to fluctuate. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index is…
