Throughout his presidency, Donald Trump has kidnapped and extradited the leader of Venezuela, threatened to annex Greenland, mused about ousting the chair of the Federal Reserve, and waged economic war on his closest allies, all while (more or less) keeping the stock market from tipping into bearish territory.The Iran war increasingly looks like the one instance where physical reality has outrun his ability to control the narrative.The Nasdaq 100 has now fallen over 10% from its peak, technically entering c ...

[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com][Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com]Moving the marketThe major indexes opened weak and stayed under pressure for most of the day, as oil prices kept climbing on fresh worries from the U.S.-Iran conflict.West Texas Intermediate crude swung between $93 and $100 a barrel, while Brent surged 3% to $111 after Iran struck a key LNG export facility in Qatar and Israel hit Iran’s South Pars gas field.Iran retaliated by targeting Qatari energy sites, and President Trump warned that ...

Global oil and natural gas prices have soared after Iran attacked a key natural gas facility in Qatar that can supply one-fifth of the world's gas, and two oil refineries in KuwaitCurrency traders work near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon ...

What happens next in Hormuz? ING outlines three scenarios SpaceX, Tesla to continue ordering Nvidia chips at scale- Musk Gold prices pinned below $4,900/oz as rate uncertainty dulls safe haven appeal Oil prices surge; Brent rallies over 4%, WTI near $100/bbl on Iran escalation Asia Open: Where the Brent-WTI Spread Turns the Oil Shock into a Regional Wreckin By Stephen Innes Market Overview Published 03/19/2026, 02:35 AM Asia Open: Where the Brent-WTI Spread Turns the Oil Shock into a Regional Wreckin View a ...

Market Overview - US stocks experienced a decline due to rising oil and gas prices, exacerbated by inflation concerns and comments from the Federal Reserve [1][5][6] - Major indices such as the S&P 500 fell by 1.4%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 768 points (1.6%), and the Nasdaq composite decreased by 1.5% [5][6] Oil Prices - Brent crude oil was trading at USD 111.24 per barrel, reflecting a 3.6% increase from the previous day, while US benchmark crude oil rose by 0.8% to USD 96.80 per barrel [5][7] - The surge in oil prices is attributed to disruptions in the Persian Gulf's energy industry due to ongoing conflicts, with Iran threatening to attack oil and gas infrastructure in neighboring countries [7][8] Inflation Concerns - A report indicated that inflation at the US wholesale level unexpectedly accelerated to 3.4% last month, suggesting inflationary pressures were building even before the conflict began [8] - The Federal Reserve's decision to maintain interest rates instead of cutting them has led to reduced expectations for lower rates, impacting investor sentiment [6][8]

Japan’s Nikkei 225 slumped 2.4% ahead of a rate decision while a broader gauge of Asian shares also fell more than 1.3% as investors trimmed risk. US futures edged lower after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both declined 1.4% Wednesday.Brent crude rose above $111 per barrel as strikes between Iran and Israel on critical energy facilities, which included damage to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export plant in Qatar, raised concerns of a more lasting impact from the conflict. Treasuries sold off acro ...

Group 1 - The article does not contain any relevant content regarding companies or industries [1][3]

Market Analysis by covering: Paramount Skydance Corp. Read 's Market Analysis on Investing.com ...

Core Viewpoint - The software sector is experiencing a significant downturn, with stocks facing existential threats from AI, leading to a debate on whether the selloff is justified or an overreaction [1][2]. Group 1: Software Sector Performance - Global software stocks have seen declines between 15% and 35% over the past 30 days, with Accenture and EPAM Systems losing 25% and 35% respectively [2]. - The Nifty IT index has also dropped by 16% during the same period, indicating a broader trend in the software sector [2]. - The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV), which includes major firms like Microsoft and Oracle, has seen its performance ratio against the Nasdaq Composite index fall back to 100, erasing previous gains since the 2002 tech bull market [3][4]. Group 2: Drawdown Analysis - The current drawdown of 37% for software stocks is the worst in the post-dotcom period, surpassing previous drawdowns including those in 2022 [6]. - The standalone drawdown for IGV is over 30%, second only to a 50% drop in 2009 and a nearly 45% drop in 2022 [8]. - When comparing IGV to the S&P 500, the current ratio is worse than the trough formed in 2022, indicating significant underperformance [10]. Group 3: Semiconductor Sector Performance - In contrast to the software sector, the semiconductor sector is thriving, with companies like Nvidia and Micron benefiting from the AI boom [12]. - The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) has reached an all-time high in the post-dotcom period, reflecting strong performance compared to the Nasdaq Composite [13]. - The relative performance of SOXX against IGV has dramatically improved, with the ratio skyrocketing to 200 over the last 10 months [14]. Group 4: Valuation Considerations - Valuations for major chip stocks, except Nvidia and AMD, are above their five-year average multiples, while software stocks are trading below their five-year averages [18]. - In the Indian context, the Nifty IT index is trading at valuations higher than pre-Covid levels, despite corrections due to lack of earnings growth and AI disruption [21]. - Some mid-cap software companies are trading at high multiples that do not justify their earnings growth rates, raising concerns about sustainability [23].

Industry Policy and Environment - The National Development and Reform Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the National Internet Information Office have jointly issued the "Internet Platform Pricing Behavior Rules," which are set to take effect on April 10, 2026, for a duration of five years [1] - The new regulations aim to standardize pricing behaviors on internet platforms, including prohibiting sales below cost and protecting the pricing autonomy of operators, which may impact the competitive landscape of the pharmaceutical e-commerce industry [1]