Fmr. Fed Vice Chairman Alan Blinder: Markets are reading FOMC meeting as more hawkish than it was

Escalation of conflict in the Middle East has sparked a sharp increase in volatility in global financial markets, following a period of benign market conditions. Volatility has been particularly pronounced in energy and other commodity markets, and this has spilled over to other asset classes. Just prior to the escalation of the conflict, some firms had experienced sharp equity price declines as investors reassessed the prospects for AI to affect business models. Conditions for private credit markets had also become more challenging. Yet risk premia in global equity and credit markets have remained fairly low by historical standards. Additionally, even after an increase in government bond yields in several advanced economies, measures of sovereign bond term premia were well within historical ranges and markets remained functional. Resilience in the global financial system prior to the escalation of the conflict had been supported by systemically important banks remaining profitable and well capitalised, and growth in the global economy over the past year exceeding most analyst expectations, with trade flows adjusting relatively quickly to changes in tariffs. Corporate and household balance sheets in advanced economies have remained strong, although pockets of stress persist among non-prime borrowers. Reserve Bank of Australia observes that the likelihood of a major negative shock to Australia’s financial system has risen recently. RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA CAUTIONS THAT THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT MAY TRIGGER A SIGNIFICANT INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL DISRUPTION. ... Reserve Bank of Australia states that Australian banks are equipped to handle loan losses even during a severe economic downturn. RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA INDICATES THAT HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES ARE GENERALLY IN SOLID FINANCIAL SHAPE AND UNLIKELY TO DESTABILIZE THE SYSTEM. ...

In trend terms, in February 2026: • unemployment rate decreased to 4.2%. • participation rate remained at 66.8%. • employment increased to 14,721,400. • employment to population ...

Several of QatarEnergy’s LNG plants suffered missile strikes early Thursday, resulting in major fires and heavy damage. QatarEnergy Statement on Missile Attacks on its LNG Facilities In addition to the previous attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City on Wednesday 18 March 2026 that resulted in extensive damage to the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, QatarEnergy confirms that in the early hours…

Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran. A relatively small section of the whole has been hit. The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen. Unfortunately, Iran did not know this, or any of the pertinent facts pertaining to the South Pars attack, and unjustifiably and unfairly attacked a portion of Qatar’s LNG Gas facility. NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar - In which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before. I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP Trump says Qatar was in no way involved in the attack. Just in | Trump Claims U.S. Was Unaware of Israeli Attack on Iranian Facility Trump states the United States will respond if there is another attack on Qatar’s LNG.