Daily Market Briefing — 18 March 2026
US markets edged higher on Tuesday as a slight pullback in oil prices eased inflation fears, with the S&P 500 rising 0.25% to 6,716.09 and the Dow adding 0.10% to 46,993.26.
Market Recap
US indices closed modestly higher on Tuesday with the S&P 500 up 0.25% to 6,716.09, the Nasdaq rising 0.47% to 24,780.42, and the Dow adding 0.10% (+46.85 points) to 46,993.26 as a slight easing in oil prices helped steady sentiment despite the ongoing Iran conflict.
Key Movers & Themes
- Geopolitical escalation: Iran intensified attacks targeting US assets in the Middle East and Israel in apparent retaliation for the killing of security chief Ali Larijani, with traffic only trickling through the Strait of Hormuz as most ships remained stranded or diverted.
- Tech sector mixed: Nvidia announced it has received orders from China and is 'restarting manufacturing' to sell H200 processors after lengthy delays, while Uber's stock powered higher on a robotaxi deal with Nvidia aiming to launch autonomous ride-hailing in up to 28 cities within two years.
- Market structure concerns: Bank of America warned that 'the big lows' in the stock market are not in yet, with metrics not at levels that typically mark bottoms, while Norway's $2 trillion wealth fund CEO warned Europe is facing a crisis and 'it is time to act'.
Economic Calendar — What to Watch Today
- 12:30 GMT — US PPI MoM (Feb): Forecast 0.3% vs Previous 0.5%. Core PPI MoM forecast 0.3% vs Previous 0.8%.
- 18:00 GMT — Fed Interest Rate Decision: Forecast 3.75% vs Previous 3.75%. The Federal Reserve is expected to stay on the sidelines this week, with FOMC Economic Projections released simultaneously.
- 18:30 GMT — Fed Press Conference: Chair Powell's commentary will be critical for market direction.
- 14:00 GMT — US Factory Orders MoM (Jan): Forecast 0.1% vs Previous -0.7%.
- 14:30 GMT — EIA Crude Oil Stocks Change (Mar/13): Forecast -1.5M barrels vs Previous +3.824M barrels.
Technical Levels to Watch
| Instrument | Support | Resistance |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 6,625 / 6,550 | 6,780 / 6,810 |
| NAS100 | 24,335 / 24,000 | 24,955 / 25,150 |
| US30 | 46,495 / 46,000 | 47,700 / 47,900 |
Commodities & Currencies
| Instrument | Price | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTI Oil | $94.12 | -$4.59 | -4.65% |
| Brent Oil | $103.21 | +$0.07 | +0.07% |
| Gold | $4,996.20 | -$56.30 | -1.11% |
| Silver | $79.76 | -$1.15 | -1.43% |
| Natural Gas | $2.940 | -$0.190 | -6.04% |
| GBP/USD | 1.3353 | -0.0029 | -0.22% |
| EUR/USD | 1.1538 | -0.0005 | -0.04% |
| USD/JPY | 158.95 | -0.12 | -0.08% |
| Bitcoin | $74,161.98 | +$2,947.36 | +4.14% |
Energy markets remain volatile with WTI oil falling 4.65% to $94.12 on Tuesday as rising US crude inventories (+6.56M barrels vs +0.38M expected) offset the geopolitical risk premium from attacks on UAE energy infrastructure. Natural gas dropped 6.04%. Safe-haven flows were muted with gold down 1.11% to $4,996, while Bitcoin bucked the trend with a 4.14% gain to $74,162.
Trading Outlook
All eyes on the Fed at 18:00 GMT with rates expected to hold at 3.75%, but Powell's commentary on inflation and the geopolitical backdrop will set the tone for the rest of the week.
This briefing is generated using AI analysis of market data and news feeds, reviewed by the ChartsView team. It does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making trading decisions.