March 17, 2026

Key points Brent oil remains above 100 dollars per barrel as Iran intensifies attacks on energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. China’s industrial production and retail sales rose more than expected in the first two months of the year. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its interest rate for the second consecutive meeting. Investor sentiment regarding Germany’s economic outlook deteriorates. Nvidia advances its AI chips and expects orders worth 1 trillion dollars for Blackwell and Vera Rubin.