Oil bets surged to $120 on prediction markets as the Iran war entered its 21st day. Brent crude jumped 60% in March marking the biggest monthly gain since 1988. Trump indicated the conflict could end in weeks yet Gulf states scrambled to build new pipelines avoiding the Strait of Hormuz.
The Financial Times reported governments from Bangladesh to Zambia imposed energy rationing to cut fuel demand. World's top energy traders got caught wrongfooted by the crisis scale. OXY Occidental led options flow this week posting 53% gains. VLO Valero ranked seventh in sentiment as refinery margins expanded sharply.
China's government bonds emerged as the lone war haven. Yields fell marginally while other major economies saw rates rise. The dollar gained on renewed Middle East fears yet analysts predicted the safe haven bid would fade.
DAL Delta kicks off travel earnings Tuesday as fuel costs spike above $95. The $43B carrier faces investor scrutiny on margin guidance. STZ Constellation Brands reports Q4 Tuesday evening with Corona and Modelo volumes holding the key.
BB BlackBerry posts Q4 Thursday morning. The $2B cybersecurity firm trades 90% below 2021 meme peaks. LEVI Levi Strauss reports Monday navigating inventory challenges.
HTZ Hertz SI hit 49.1% as availability collapsed to 0.36%. Cost to borrow spiked to 5.55% with 20 days to cover showing extreme squeeze risk. KALV KalVista topped charts at 72.5% SI despite surging 29% in three months.
Analysts backed beaten mega caps. MSFT Microsoft holds 57% upside despite falling 23% this year.
ORTEX Market Intelligence content is generated by AI from a snapshot of ORTEX's proprietary data. Content is informational only and does not constitute investment advice.
