🌅 Morning Update | March 30, 2026

🌍 Geopolitics:

The Middle East remains the dominant market driver. Over the weekend, tensions escalated further with Houthi attacks on Israel and continued military positioning by the United States in the region. At the same time, Pakistan has signaled potential U.S.–Iran talks, leaving markets caught between escalation risk and fragile hopes for de-escalation.

🛢️ Oil:

Oil continues to lead global markets.

Brent is trading around $110–115/bbl, while WTI holds near $100–102/bbl. Prices remain elevated after a historic monthly surge, as traders closely monitor the risk of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

🥇 Gold & safe havens:

Gold remains supported near $4,450–4,520/oz, reflecting strong demand for inflation hedging and safe-haven assets. Silver is also pushing higher, tracking the same macro drivers.

🏛️ BoJ & FX:

The Bank of Japan maintains a tightening bias, signaling openness to further rate hikes. Japanese officials have also warned about intervention against excessive yen volatility.

USD/JPY is trading slightly lower near 159–160, while the U.S. dollar remains broadly supported, driven by global uncertainty and energy-driven inflation risks.

📉 Equities:

Equity markets remain fragile.

• Asia saw sharp declines earlier, with Japan and Korea under pressure
• Futures suggest a cautious rebound in Europe and the U.S.
• Tech stocks continue to lag amid rising yields and inflation concerns

Overall sentiment: risk-off with intermittent relief rallies

₿ Crypto:

Bitcoin is holding around $67K, showing relative resilience. Crypto is currently behaving as a hybrid asset, reacting both to liquidity conditions and risk sentiment.

📅 What to watch this week:

• 🇺🇸 NFP (Friday) – key for Fed expectations
• 🇪🇺 Eurozone CPI – inflation trajectory in focus
• 🇯🇵 BoJ Tankan survey – business sentiment after policy shifts
• 🇦🇺 RBA Minutes – fuel policy and inflation risks

⚡ Bottom line:

Markets are being driven by a powerful mix of geopolitics, oil, and inflation expectations. Volatility is likely to remain elevated as traders react to every headline.

Stay sharp, trade smart, and stay ahead with NordFX. 🚀