Economics 19 March 2026 - 28 March 2026

Reynolds Consumer Products Faces Key Cost Issue at Start of June
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Reynolds Consumer Products Faces Key Cost Issue at Start of June

Reynolds Consumer Products Inc. is set to open Monday at $21.67, after sliding 1.95% on Friday. That loss capped a short Memorial Day week where the stock ended down about 0.6% from the previous Friday’s close. With not much in the way of new company news, the setup is now in focus. The main thing for investors is whether they reward Reynolds for a strong Q1 or keep the pressure on the stock as June gets underway with aluminum and resin costs still up.
June 1, 2026
No More Pennies? Georgia and Washington Move on Penny Rounding as Rare Buffalo Nickel Error Surfaces
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No More Pennies? Georgia and Washington Move on Penny Rounding as Rare Buffalo Nickel Error Surfaces

ATLANTA, March 28, 2026, 3:53 PM EDT This week, Georgia’s Senate unanimously passed House Bill 1112, pushing the state a step closer to dropping pennies at checkout after a 50-0 vote on March 25. Washington, meanwhile, is already there—Governor signed HB 2334 into law on March 23. States are moving fast to address the end of U.S. penny production, filling the regulatory gap.
March 28, 2026
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Stock Price: CBA Holds at A$173 as Hike Hits Borrowers, Inflation Risk Rises
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Commonwealth Bank of Australia Stock Price: CBA Holds at A$173 as Hike Hits Borrowers, Inflation Risk Rises

Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares changed hands at A$173.63 late Friday, following the bank’s warning that the oil shock may lift inflation to roughly 5.4% by mid-2026—raising the odds of another Reserve Bank of Australia rate hike. In delayed trade, the stock ticked 0.26% higher. This is significant: CBA stands as the country’s largest lender. Investors are watching to see if elevated rates will help prop up earnings for a while, or if pressure on borrowers ends up dragging on credit growth and putting loan quality under strain.
March 27, 2026
Dow Enters Correction as Iran War Sends Oil Above $110 and Drags Wall Street to Six-Month Lows
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Dow Enters Correction as Iran War Sends Oil Above $110 and Drags Wall Street to Six-Month Lows

Wall Street ended sharply lower Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling into correction territory and all three major indexes closing at their weakest levels in over half a year. Worries about a prolonged, more expensive Iran conflict weighed heavily. According to preliminary numbers, the S&P 500 slipped 1.7% to 6,366.96. The Nasdaq fell 2.1% to 20,949.24. The Dow ended down 1.75% at 45,156.51. What’s changed: the slide isn’t just about panicked trading on war news anymore. The Nasdaq hit correction territory on Thursday—down 10% from its recent peak. By Friday, the Dow joined it. Fed rate cuts? Traders have erased those bets for this year, despite consumer sentiment in the U.S. hitting new lows.
March 27, 2026
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Slides as Oil Jumps and OECD Cuts Britain Growth View
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UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Slides as Oil Jumps and OECD Cuts Britain Growth View

London’s blue-chip FTSE 100 slid 134.67 points to 9,972.17 on Thursday, down 1.3%, as oil prices rebounded and optimism for a swift resolution in the Middle East lost ground. The FTSE 250 dropped 0.8%, back to 21,296.07, trimming off some of its gains from the previous day’s rally. This shift lands just as Britain’s economic prospects take a hit. The OECD slashed its 2026 UK growth projection by 0.5 points, putting it at 0.7%, and bumped its inflation call up by 1.5 points to 4.0%—both the sharpest changes for any major developed economy.
March 26, 2026
Australia Inflation Warning: Fuel Shock Could Push Prices Past 5% as Canberra Rules Out Rationing
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Australia Inflation Warning: Fuel Shock Could Push Prices Past 5% as Canberra Rules Out Rationing

Fuel rationing isn’t on the table in Australia, despite Treasurer Jim Chalmers admitting the government’s scenario of inflation hitting 5% is looking “pretty conservative”—a nod to how quickly the oil shock has outpaced February’s slight dip in consumer prices. That puts Canberra in the tricky position of reassuring drivers, all while acknowledging the economic blow from the Middle East conflict keeps deepening. This is relevant, given the softer February print is already out of date. Annual consumer price inflation eased to 3.7% from 3.8%, while the trimmed mean — the Reserve Bank of Australia’s preferred core measure, which excludes volatile items — remained at 3.3%. The ABS noted a 3.4% drop in automotive fuel during February, but all that came
March 26, 2026
Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Lose Momentum as Oil Rebounds Above $100, Iran Talk Hopes Fade
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Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Lose Momentum as Oil Rebounds Above $100, Iran Talk Hopes Fade

NEW YORK, March 24, 2026, 16:06. The relief rally on Wall Street fizzled Tuesday. The Dow managed to hang onto small gains, but the S&P 500 barely budged and the Nasdaq slipped as oil jumped back above $100 a barrel and Treasury yields edged higher amid renewed uncertainty over U.S.-Iran talks. Brent shot up about 4.5% to $104.49 a barrel, with U.S. crude up nearly 4.8% at $92.35. U.S. and European stock futures were already weaker ahead of the New York open.
March 24, 2026
Fed’s Goolsbee Says Rate Hikes Back on Table as Iran War Clouds Cuts
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Fed’s Goolsbee Says Rate Hikes Back on Table as Iran War Clouds Cuts

Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee on Monday left the door open to a rate cut this year—provided inflation comes down—but didn’t rule out a hike if the war with Iran keeps prices elevated. “Both scenarios are on the table,” he told CNBC. This comes just a week after the Fed kept rates steady at 3.50%-3.75%, with officials signaling one cut for the year. But the Iran-driven oil shock changed the math fast. By Friday, futures traders were suddenly assigning about a 25% probability to a December hike—something that wasn’t even on the radar days before.
March 24, 2026
Dow Jumps 631 Points, Oil Falls Below $100 as Trump’s Iran Talk Claim Revives Wall Street’s TACO Trade
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Dow Jumps 631 Points, Oil Falls Below $100 as Trump’s Iran Talk Claim Revives Wall Street’s TACO Trade

Stocks bounced back Monday as oil tumbled below the $100 mark, following President Donald Trump’s comments on “productive” U.S.–Iran talks and a five-day pause on planned strikes against Iranian power facilities. The Dow surged 631 points by the bell, the S&P 500 rose 1.1%, and the Nasdaq picked up 1.4%. Brent crude fell to $99.94 a barrel. Investors had steeled themselves for a harsher energy jolt after the Strait of Hormuz was essentially closed off. Roughly 20% of the world’s oil and LNG supply passes through these waters. Just the hint of a disruption sent Treasury yields sliding, put pressure on the dollar, and funneled cash back into equities.
March 23, 2026
Australia Stock Market Week Ahead: ASX 200 Braces for CPI Test as Oil Shock Deepens
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Australia Stock Market Week Ahead: ASX 200 Braces for CPI Test as Oil Shock Deepens

Australian stocks are starting the week looking uncertain. The S&P/ASX 200 finished Friday at 8,428.4. Brent crude, meanwhile, wrapped up at $112.19 a barrel—marking its strongest close since July 2022. Wednesday brings February’s consumer price index, Australia’s key inflation number, set for release at 11:30 a.m. AEDT. The data arrives just after the Reserve Bank of Australia’s narrow 5-4 decision to lift the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1%. “The domestic data flow alone justified a rate hike today,” said Commonwealth Bank economist Belinda Allen.
March 22, 2026
BHP Stock Price Falls as CEO Bounce Fades, China Iron Ore Risks Linger
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BHP Stock Price Falls as CEO Bounce Fades, China Iron Ore Risks Linger

BHP Group Ltd's U.S. shares closed out Friday at $65.29, falling 3.09% and erasing the 0.9% uptick logged after the miner tapped Brandon Craig as chief executive earlier this week. With the bounce gone, the stock finds itself under renewed pressure as investors weigh the impact of the leadership shift. The timing is no accident. BHP’s earnings are now driven less by iron ore, with copper making up 51% of operating profit in February—a first. That shift powered a 22% jump in half-year underlying profit, which hit $6.2 billion after excluding one-offs.
March 22, 2026
Wall Street Tumbles, Bond Yields Jump as Iran War Sends Oil Above $112 and Turns Fed Cut Hopes Into Hike Bets
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Wall Street Tumbles, Bond Yields Jump as Iran War Sends Oil Above $112 and Turns Fed Cut Hopes Into Hike Bets

NEW YORK, March 20, 2026, 4:32 PM EDT Stocks on Wall Street tumbled Friday, with bond yields climbing on both sides of the Atlantic as traders grew skeptical that the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran would wrap up anytime soon—fueling persistent oil and inflation worries. The S&P 500 slid 1.49%, the Nasdaq lost 1.98%, and the Dow shed 0.92%. That marked a fourth consecutive weekly decline for all three major indexes.
March 20, 2026
Why NatWest Share Price Dropped 8% as Ex-Dividend Hit Meets Fresh BoE Rate Fears
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Why NatWest Share Price Dropped 8% as Ex-Dividend Hit Meets Fresh BoE Rate Fears

NatWest Group Plc shares slumped 8% to 533.6 pence on Thursday after trading ex-dividend, as a wider retreat in UK bank stocks pressured the London-listed lender. Banks dragged the FTSE 100 lower, shedding 4.3% for the day. This isn’t just about the dividend. NatWest’s final payout is set at 23 pence a share—anyone buying from Thursday misses out. Take that out of the price, and shares still slid roughly 4.2%. That’s more than just a calendar quirk; there’s genuine selling going on.
March 20, 2026
CBA Shares Near Highs After RBA Hike: Why Commonwealth Bank Bulls and Bears Both Have a Case
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CBA Shares Near Highs After RBA Hike: Why Commonwealth Bank Bulls and Bears Both Have a Case

Commonwealth Bank of Australia closed at A$175.64 on Friday, skimming the lower end of its intraday range—A$175.64 to A$179.56—but still hovering close to the upper reaches of its A$140.21-A$192.00 one-year band. For investors in the nation’s top lender, the dilemma persists: does the improving rate environment justify paying up at these levels? Australia stood apart from other developed markets this week. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1% in a tight 5-4 decision on March 17. Traders, according to Reuters, still fully priced in a jump to 4.35% by August, despite the close call.
March 20, 2026
Westpac Banking Corporation Stock Price Falls 1% as ASX Slides, RBA Rate Hike Keeps Margin Debate Alive
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Westpac Banking Corporation Stock Price Falls 1% as ASX Slides, RBA Rate Hike Keeps Margin Debate Alive

Westpac Banking Corporation shares on the ASX slipped 0.96% to close at A$41.13 on Thursday. The S&P/ASX 200 slumped 1.65% to 8,497.8 after an oil shock shook risk assets. This shift carries weight as banks across Australia adjust to the latest round of monetary tightening. The Reserve Bank of Australia bumped its cash rate up by 25 basis points to 4.1% on Tuesday. Westpac responded, announcing it will hike both variable home-loan rates and cash-rate-linked business lending rates by an identical 25 basis points, taking effect March 31.
March 20, 2026
Oil Briefly Tops $119 as Iran Strikes and Hawkish Fed Deepen Stock Selloff
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Oil Briefly Tops $119 as Iran Strikes and Hawkish Fed Deepen Stock Selloff

Oil jumped above $119 a barrel for a moment on Thursday, rattled by Iranian strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure. That move shook up markets that were already on edge as the Federal Reserve grows warier regarding rate cuts. Brent later eased to roughly $113.40, but the surge was enough to refocus traders on inflation. This oil shock is hitting just as U.S. producer prices jumped 0.7% in February—up 3.4% from a year ago—and with the Fed raising its inflation forecast for 2026. Gas at the pump? Now averaging $3.88 a gallon, that’s roughly 30% higher than prewar levels, making it more likely that both households and businesses get squeezed by another spike in fuel costs.
March 19, 2026
Gold Prices and Silver Prices Hit One-Month Lows as Fed Inflation Warning Outweighs War Fears
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Gold Prices and Silver Prices Hit One-Month Lows as Fed Inflation Warning Outweighs War Fears

NEW YORK, March 19, 2026, 09:15 EDT. Gold dropped 2.7% to $4,687.19 an ounce by 1125 GMT, with prices sliding to $4,665.69—levels last seen on Feb. 6. Silver fared worse, tumbling 6.3% to $70.65 after touching $69.95, also a low dating back to Feb. 6. Investors turned away from the metals after the Federal Reserve’s rate move pushed up Treasury yields and lifted the dollar, sidelining gold and silver’s safe-haven draw even as the Middle East conflict drags on.
March 19, 2026
Glencore plc Stock Price Falls Today as Copper Slide and Bank of England Hold Hit Miners
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Glencore plc Stock Price Falls Today as Copper Slide and Bank of England Hold Hit Miners

Glencore shares slid 4.2% in London trading on Thursday, dropping to 503.7 pence by 12:40 GMT as miners and other growth-sensitive stocks came under pressure. That put the stock 22.2 pence below its prior close, according to company and exchange figures. Glencore was trading near its highest level in a year heading into the session. Shares finished Wednesday at 525.9 pence, according to Financial Times market data, leaving them 3.77% shy of the 52-week high—546.5 pence, posted on March 2.
March 19, 2026
National Australia Bank Limited Stock Price Slips After RBA Hike as NAB Raises Home Loan Rates
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National Australia Bank Limited Stock Price Slips After RBA Hike as NAB Raises Home Loan Rates

National Australia Bank slipped 0.48% to finish Wednesday at A$47.23, as the market digested the lender’s decision to bump up variable home-loan rates by 25 basis points—0.25 percentage point—after the Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest rate hike. That’s key, with Australia’s major banks hiking mortgage rates following the RBA’s second consecutive increase. NAB posted a 1.80% net interest margin in the first quarter—the difference between loan income and funding costs—leaving investors alert for any shifts in those margins and signs of customer strain.
March 19, 2026
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