Mar 17 ,2026
Synopsis
European equity markets set to open lower, while Asia equities largely higher Tuesday although many now off their peaks. Prominent gains in Japan's benchmarks faded somewhat but Topix and Nikkei still higher. Hong Kong also hanging on to gains but off peaks, mainland China boards now down.
Middle East energy situation still in focus amid as markets assess feasibility of US-led efforts to reopen Strait of Hormuz. Several US allies rebuffed Trump's request to send vessels to facilitate shipping though he also flagged some countries will participate. Success in unblocking Hormuz still seen as main relief valve for oil markets while Iranian attacks on Middle East energy infrastructure (and resulting impact on production) and lack of visibility towards ceasefire (officials expect fighting to last weeks) remain the other overhangs.
Elsewhere, President Trump confirmed he requested China delay summit with President Xi by a month or so, citing preoccupation with Iran conflict. US and China economic officials held second day of talks on Monday with USTR Greer mentioning possibility of a US-China Board of Trade to manage trade and economic ties. Monday talks described as "constructive and Xinhua readout noting two sides reached preliminary consensus on some issues. However, Beijing expressed opposition to S.301 probe targeting China and other nations.
Also on today's agenda, in politics, EU environment ministers will hold a policy debate on the amendment to the regulation on CO2 emission standards for cars and vans. UK parliamentary committee topics include The OBR: 15 years on at 9:45GMT, personalised medicine and AI at 10:15, Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts at 10:30, the cost of energy at 15:00. EUROPE 2026 Conf, jointly organised by DIE ZEIT, Handelsblatt, others (through Wed), featuring, among others, EP President Metsola and Germany's digital affairs (Wildberger) and foreign (Wadephul) ministers. Amongst other events Tue, Euractiv Agrifood policy conf. speaker include EU's Hansen at 9:30CET and EU's Kallas delivers the keynote speech at EEAS 2026 Counter FIMI Conf, Zaharieva participates in Clean Aviation Annual Forumand Hoekstra delivers the closing speech at the EU tax symposium. Ireland's Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and representatives of the State travel (St. Patrick's Day program) to more than 50 countries. Norway's minister of agriculture and food Sandtrøen delivers speech at 11:00CET to the Sustainable Feed Conf. and at 12:30 the minister for foreign affairs Eide is a panellist at the annual conf . of the Norwegian Shipowners' Assn.
In central banks, SNB to publish 2025 Annual and Sustainability Reports and BOE's Evans delivers a speech at 11:30GMT at the Univ. of Leeds 'Modernising the liquidity framework for banks and building societies'. Bundesbank's Nagel gives a speech at 16:15CET at Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State Univ and Theurer panellist at 18:00 at event organised by Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
European macro data releases out today include, Germany Mar economic sentiment index - ZEW, Italy Feb final CPI, Switzerland Feb PPI.
In earnings new, DACHs names kicked off the session with Fraport (FRA.GR) reporting FY earnings numbers, whilst Sartorius indicated it expects medium-term organic sales revenue growth in constant currencies of 8% to 11% ahead of it's CMD today. In France, BNP Paribas (BNP.FP), Kering (KER.FP) and Sartorius Stedim Biotech (DIM.FP) issued presentations in connection with their CMD, whilst Aeroport de Paris (ADP.FP) released Feb traffic figures.
Politics/Macro/World News
Naval escorts will not guarantee safe passage through Strait of Hormuz, says IMO chief -- FT
Europe rejects Trump's demand to help clean up Hormuz mess -- Politico
Iran renews attacks on US Gulf allies, Trump says that was not expected - Reuters
IMF Raises Alarm Over Aid to Ukraine With Parliament in Gridlock - Bloomberg
French far right struggles to deliver its decisive breakthrough -- Politico
Reeves vows to stop UK tech from 'drifting abroad' - BBC
Top company news
Earnings/updates
DACHs
SRT3.GR (Sartorius) -- expects medium-term organic sales revenue growth in constant currencies of 8% to 11% -- CMD
MED.SW (Medartis Holding) -- reports FY core EBITDA CHF48.8M vs FactSet CHF46.2M [3 est, CHF44.9-47.6M]
SPG.GR (Springer Nature) -- reports FY adjusted EPS €1.93 vs FactSet €1.70 [8 est, €1.61-1.76]
NB2.GR (Northern Data) -- reports preliminary FY25 EBIT (€463M) vs year-ago (€69M)
BSL.GR (Basler) -- reports preliminary FY EBIT €17.7M vs FactSet €19.4M [2 est, €18-20.7M]
FRA.GR (Fraport) -- reports FY EPS €4.67 vs FactSet €4.72 [20 est, €3.99-5.15]; Group net profit is expected to decline in 2026
BCGE.SW (Banque Cantonal de Geneve) -- reports FY net income CHF220.9M vs year-ago CHF219.2M
France
DIM.FP (Sartorius Stedim Biotech) -- sets new medium term targets at CMD: targets organic sales revenue growth of +9-12% per year in constant currencies
KER.FP (Kering) -- announces a new segmentation of its businesses
BNP.FP (BNP Paribas) -- sees ~€350B of cumulative net inflows targeted by 2030; revenue CAGR of ~+4% from 2025 to 2030 -- AM CMD
ADP.FP (Aeroport de Paris) -- reports Group Feb traffic 26.7M, +0.6% y/y
Southern Europe
MOL.IM (Moltiply Group) -- reports FY net income €28.8M vs FactSet €60.4M [4 est, €56.4-66.2M]
Nordics
SITOWS.FH (Sitowise Group) -- announces new mid-term strategic focus areas and financial targets
Also due to report today:
Earnings:
DACHs: Mensch & Maschine Software (MUM.GR), Dermapharm (SMP.GR), Mayr-Melnhof Karton (MMK.AV)
France: Bolloré (BOL.FP), Virbac (VIRP.FP)
Southern Europe: A2A (A2A.IM), Pharmanutra (PHN.IM)
UK: Prudential (PRU.LN), Primary Health Properties (PHP.LN), Trustpilot Group (TRST.LN), Harworth Group (HWG.LN), BOKU (BOKU.LN), IP Group (IPO.LN), Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB1.LN), Ashtead Technology Holdings (AT.LN), Yu Group (YU.LN), Essentra (ESNT.LN), Science Group (SAG.LN), Fintel (FNTL.LN), Zotefoams (ZTF.LN), Midwich Group (MIDW.LN), Eagle Eye Solutions Group (EYE.LN), The Pebble Group (PEBB.LN), STV Group (STVG.LN)
Other: Mavi Giyim Sanayi ve Ticaret (MAVI.E.TI)
Trading Update:
UK: Sthree (STEM.LN)
Traffic: VICI (DG.FP)
CMD/Events: Attendo (ATT.SS), Kojamo (KOJAMO.FH)
M&A
KNEBV.FH (Kone) -- reportedly in talks to acquire TK Elevator -- Bloomberg
(OTHER) SDG.FP (Synergie) -- closes the acquisition of a majority stake in Agilus Work Solutions
Healthcare
ROG.SW (Roche Holding) -- Roche launches NVIDIA AI factory to accelerate development of new therapeutics and diagnostics solutions
SN.LN (Smith & Nephew) -- SEC filing: SCHEDULE 13D/A (Filed by Cevian Capital II GP LTD)
RYTM (Rhythm Pharmaceuticals) -- announces topline results from Phase 3 EMANATE trial; four substudies did not meet primary endpoints
RYTM (Rhythm Pharmaceuticals) -- Post-close news (and conference call)
TECN.SW (Tecan Group) -- announces a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA focused on providing the AI-enabled platforms that Data-Driven Labs
TECN.SW (Tecan Group) -- Tecan announces strategic collaboration with NVIDIA focused on providing the AI-enabled platforms
Other
VOLCAR.B.SS (Volvo Car) -- Volvo reported to be discontinuing US sales of EX30 EV model next year - Business Insider
OPAP.GA (Allwyn) -- OPAP Holding completes cross-border conversion
OPAP.GA (Allwyn) -- OPAP Holding S.A. announces new members of the board
AKER.NO (Aker ASA) -- Aker makes annoucnement related to Nscale acquisition of American Intelligence & Power Corporation and signing of LOI with Microsoft covering 430,000 GPUs
KER.FP (Kering) -- announces the creation of Jewelry, a new entity designed to structure and accelerate the growth of its Jewelry business
DG.FP (VINCI SA) -- selected for design-build contract for UK fusion energy project
P911.GR (Porsche) -- Street Takeaways - Porsche FY25 and Q4 Results
Airbus confirms Atlas Air Worldwide order for Airbus A350F freighters (16-Mar)
Regional Gaming Revenues - New Jersey February 2026
Rio Tinto announces Resolution Copper completes land exchange with United States Forest Service (USFS)
UK Atomic Energy Authority makes nuclear project selectinons; OpenAI, Anthropic consider PE partnerships in intraday themes (16-Mar)
Key rating changes
Upgrades
NESTE.FH (Neste) -- to overweight from equal weight at Barclays
Downgrades
UTG.LN (UNITE Group) -- to equal weight from overweight at Barclays
Initiations
COTN.SW (COMET Holding) -- overweight at JPMorgan
Data
Nikkei (0.09%) to 53700.39
Hang Seng +0.25% to 25897.73
Shanghai Composite (0.72%) to 4055.46
S&P futures (32.0) vs prior close of 6755.5
€-$ (0.0031) or (0.27%) to 1.1476
$-¥ +0.31 or +0.20% to 159.37
€-¥ (0.11) or (0.06%) to 182.88
This information and data is provided for general informational purposes only. The Bank of New York Mellon and our information suppliers do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, timeliness or completeness of this information or data. We provide no advice nor recommendation or endorsement with respect to any company or securities. We do not undertake any obligation to update or amend this information or data. Nothing herein shall be deemed to constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities.
Please refer to "Terms Of Use".
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS:
NOT FDIC, STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY INSURED
MAY LOSE VALUE
NO BANK, STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY GUARANTEE