Market news for March 19, 2026: Stocks slid and oil prices rose sharply today after a major escalation in the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran rattled investors, fuelling stagflation fears as central banks worldwide grapple with surging energy costs.

Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news from Singapore and the region.

Written by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Chai Pei Chieh & Claressa Monteiro

Produced by: BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media

Produced with AI text-to-speech capabilities

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S2E476: War rages, oil soars, yen wobbles: stagflation fears mount