Markets jitter as war risk rises
Global markets are on edge as the Iran war and persistent inflation are feeding renewed volatility and the risk of a broader market crash — equity indices showed fresh pressure and U.S. markets were on track for a fourth straight weekly loss. (ts2.tech) India bucked the trend on March 20, with the Nifty50 closing above 23,100 and the Sensex topping 74,500, but officials warned energy disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz have forced India to ramp U.S. imports to plug LPG shortfalls. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Gold is once again bid as investors seek safe havens amid the uncertainty. (litefinance.org)
U.S. benchmarks closed lower on March 20 as the S&P 500 slipped 1.14% to 6,530.91, the Nasdaq fell 1.64% to 21,728.68 and the Dow dropped 0.68%, marking a fourth straight weekly loss for the major indexes. (streetinsider.com) The CBOE VIX jumped to about 26.4 on Friday — its highest level in months — while the S&P 500 energy sector rose 0.7% and was on track for a 13th consecutive weekly gain. (streetinsider.com) Brent crude climbed above $112 a barrel on March 20, rising roughly 3.4% on the session and up more than 50% month‑on‑month amid renewed supply‑risk premiums tied to Gulf disruptions. (tradingeconomics.com) U.S. Treasury yields moved higher as markets repriced Fed expectations, with the 10‑year yield trading around the mid‑4% area and two‑year yields near 3.9%, intensifying pressure on equities sensitive to discount‑rate moves. (tradingeconomics.com) Gold, which had rallied earlier in the month, slid to a more‑than‑one‑month low this week as a firmer dollar and rising real yields eroded bullion’s appeal despite geopolitical risk. (kitco.com) India has been sourcing significant LPG cargoes from alternative suppliers: one report shows roughly 176,000 tonnes of U.S. LPG arrived in the week ending March 19 and Indian refiners/OEMs are now expected to import about 2.2 million tonnes from the U.S. in 2026 to plug shortfalls. (timesnownews.com) New Delhi’s inter‑ministerial briefing said about 70% of crude imports are now being routed outside the Strait of Hormuz and that domestic LPG production has been stepped up (reported increases of about 25%) as authorities move to secure supplies. (pib.gov.in)
