Finance The Week That Was

The week ending 13 March 2026 brought **profound systemic stress** to global equity markets. An **escalating Middle East conflict** and the strategic blockade of the Strait of Hormuz triggered severe energy volatility. Consequently, intense “risk-off” sentiment and looming fears of stagflation firmly dominated global investor discourse across major trading floors.

The week ending March 6, 2026, marked a definitive turning point for global financial markets, which rapidly transitioned into a volatile “risk-off” environment. Driven by escalating Middle East conflicts, surging oil prices, and a sudden US employment contraction, equities plummeted globally amid renewed fears of stagflation.

In late February 2026, global financial markets experienced sharp divergence. Wall Street and Indian equities faced downward pressure from persistent inflation, geopolitical tensions, and an “AI-scare” tech sell-off. Conversely, the UK, Australian, and Japanese benchmarks surged to historic record highs driven by domestic policy shifts.

The third week of February 2026 saw a massive legal shake-up in Washington that triggered a global relief rally. The US Supreme Court struck down sweeping presidential tariffs, sending major indices higher as investors anticipated a potential $175 billion refund. Meanwhile, European manufacturing rebounded strongly.

The second week of February 2026 proved to be a watershed moment for global financial markets, characterised by a fundamental reassessment of the artificial intelligence (AI) narrative and a significant realignment of international trade relations. While the previous year was defined by a monolithic surge in technology valuations, this week signalled the arrival of what

The week ending February 6, 2026, was defined by the Dow Jones Industrial Average breaching 50,000 amid a volatile AI-driven “tech rout” and subsequent rally. While U.S. markets celebrated, global structural shifts emerged, notably a European automotive crisis, Australia’s surprise rate hike, and a historic U.S.-India trade agreement.