SVET Markets Weekly Update – March 16–22, 2026

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SVET Markets Weekly Update (March 16–22, 2026)

On Week 12, stocks got in deep red followed by cryptomarket.

On Monday, stocks jumped as easing Middle East tensions boosted confidence. The S&P 500 rose about 1%, the Dow less than 1%, and the Nasdaq over 1%. Trump signaled the Iran conflict was ending, pushing oil down to around $86 from $119. Tech led with AMD and Broadcom up over 4%. Crypto followed higher — Bitcoin hit $70,000, up about 2%, while Ether and Ripple gained around 2% as cooling oil and global rebounds lifted sentiment.

On Tuesday, markets were flat with the S&P 500 down less than 1% as optimism over easing Middle East tensions faded after the White House denied naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz. Tech shares rose, led by Micron and Intel, while defense stocks like Lockheed Martin slipped. Crypto markets gained, with Bitcoin, Ether, and Ripple each up about 2% amid safe-haven demand.

On Wednesday, markets closed mixed as the Dow fell about 1%, and the S&P 500 slipped less than 1%, while the Nasdaq gained less than 1%. Most sectors ended lower, except energy, technology, and communication services, which managed small gains. Clean energy stocks also showed modest resilience amid broader market weakness. In crypto, major tokens declined, with Bitcoin, Ether, and Ripple each dropping about 1%. Investors remained cautious ahead of key inflation data and ongoing global market volatility.

On Thursday, stocks fell to their lowest since November as energy prices jumped and stagflation fears grew. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq 100 lost about 1%. The IEA’s 400 million-barrel release failed to calm oil after Iran-Israel-GCC clashes slowed Hormuz traffic. Yields stayed high, straining credit firms. Morgan Stanley dropped 4%, Goldman Sachs and Blue Owl 3% after fund withdrawal caps. Jobless claims dipped less than 1% to 213K; continuing claims fell to 1.85 M. Federal filings rose slightly to 617. Crypto slid, with Bitcoin and Ethereum lower as traders fled risk amid inflation and energy shocks.

On Friday, stocks fell again as Middle East conflict and energy swings deepened stagflation fears. The S&P 500 lost less than 1%, Dow 0.3%, Nasdaq 0.7%. U.S. strikes on Iran blocked Hormuz, lifting oil and yields, while Adobe dropped 8%, and Meta, Palantir, Oracle slid up to 4%. Consumer sentiment fell to 56, near a three‑month low, as gas prices rose. WTI climbed 2% to $98, and the dollar index topped 100 on safe‑haven flows before the Fed meeting. Crypto traded flat; Ether gained about 1%.

On Week 13, global markets stay tied to the Middle East war and its hit on energy, steering rate moves by major central banks. The Fed, in Powell’s second‑to‑last meeting, leads decisions alongside the ECB, BoJ, BoE, SNB, RBA, BoC, Riksbank, and central banks in China, Brazil, and Russia. Key data include U.S. PPI, output, Eurozone trade, UK and Australian jobs, Canadian inflation, and Chinese activity figures.

Comment: The Entrepreneur’s Dilemma in a Geopolitical World.

Entrepreneurs today face a hard choice shaped by geopolitics. Centralized powers push us to fund their military ventures while branding business owners as selfish — a view both outdated and false. Meanwhile, democracies act like authoritarian states, using tariffs and policies that ignore market logic.

Our answer is freedom of capital: investing where innovation and transparency are respected. That’s not unpatriotic — it’s responsible. The real duty of capital holders is to build flexible, global communities that fund frontier technologies and improve life for everyone.