(March 16) : Oil climbed early Monday after a US strike on Iran’s main export hub raised the risk of fresh crude supply disruptions across the Middle East. Futures pointed to weaker openings in Australia, Japan and Hong Kong equities, while the dollar edged lower against major peers. The strike threatened to inject fresh volatility into energy markets already grappling with some of the biggest swings in oil in decades. Inflation risks are likely to be a key focus for markets this week as eight of the world’s 10 major central banks deliver policy decisions. Global stocks have slid more than 5% since the war broke out, led by Asian markets.

Source: The Edge Markets March 15, 2026 23:28 UTC