18th of March 2026 - Stocks Tick Up as Investors Weight Flashpoints and Policy Pivots

Strait of Hormuz Interactive Infographic: https://mosaic.mpcmarkets.com.au/dashboard/content/the-1970s-oil-shocks-cpi-rates-asset-performanceWall Street posted modest gains on Tuesday as investors attempted to look through the fog of war in the Middle East, with the S&P 500 adding 0.25% to close at 6,716, the Nasdaq up 0.47%, and the Dow barely changed. Markets remain caught between competing forces: oil firmly back above $100 a barrel, a pivotal Federal Reserve decision looming on Wednesday, a postponed US-China summit, and a Reserve Bank of Australia that delivered a second consecutive rate hike — all against the backdrop of an Iran conflict now in its third week with no ceasefire in sight.