Central banks decide amid Middle East led prices pressures
Oil markets can’t catch a break. What started as optimism on Iraq resuming exports quickly flipped into renewed panic as escalating tensions in the Middle East rattled energy markets. Attacks on Iranian facilities and threats toward Gulf countries have pushed oil and gas prices sharply higher again — and markets are feeling the heat.
Equities are under pressure as rising energy costs squeeze margins and fuel inflation fears. Meanwhile, central banks are walking a tightrope. The Fed held rates steady, but the tone remains cautious — even hawkish — as inflation risks linger. And it’s not just the US: the...