Market Brief – 18 Mar 2026

In today’s episode of Market Brief – After Hours, global markets slide sharply as hotter-than-expected inflation data and a cautious Federal Reserve outlook push investors firmly into risk-off mode. Equities retreat across the board as rising producer prices and persistent core inflation raise concerns that interest rates may stay higher for longer, while surging energy prices linked to tensions in the Persian Gulf add further pressure to the macro outlook.We also break down the sharp selloff in cryptocurrencies as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana drop alongside crypto-linked equities including Galaxy Digital, Coinbase, and MARA Holdings. Across equities, we analyse major movers such as declines in Rocket Lab, SailPoint, and Gemini Space Station, alongside gains in ZTO Express and Swarmer.The episode includes detailed Forex technical analysis across EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/CHF, and USD/JPY, as well as moves in Gold and Silver, highlighting shifting momentum and key moving average levels as markets react to rising yields and inflation risks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.