Morning Bid: Central bankers sound inflation alarm

try{ var _=i o; . if(!_||_&&typeof _==="object"&&_.expiry SpaceX, Tesla to continue ordering Nvidia chips at scale- Musk Oil prices surge; Brent rallies over 4%, WTI near $100/bbl on Iran escalation Gold prices hit over a one-month low after Fed holds rates steady as expected Stocks end in the red after Fed expresses uncertainty over impact of oil shock FLASH SALE (South Africa Philippines Nigeria) FLASH SALE Morning Bid: Central bankers sound inflation alarm By Economy Published 03/19/2026, 01:33 AM Updated 03/19/2026, 01:36 AM Morning Bid: Central bankers sound inflation alarm 0 US Dollar Japanese Yen -0.05% CL 1.11% NG -1.00% A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Ankur Banerjee As the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran intensifies after major attacks on energy infrastructure, central bank meetings have become the stage for policymakers to unite in flagging the prospect of accelerating inflation due to soaring energy prices. The Bank of Japan joined the U.S. Federal Reserve and Bank of Canada in keeping interest rates steady but highlighted mounting price pressure that could accompany a prolonged war that has upended global markets this month. With markets expecting the European Central Bank and Bank of England to likewise hold rates later in the day, the focus will again be on comments from officials who will likely talk tough on inflation. Policymakers are walking a tightrope as they look to rein in stubborn price pressure without derailing growth, just as they did in 2022 when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spurred a commodities-led spike in inflation rates. That stagflationary dilemma has sapped investor sentiment as markets come to terms with another conflict that shows no sign of easing. And so, traders have put on their risk-off hats, sold stocks, pushed expectations of U.S. rate cuts further back and bought U.S. dollars. Oil prices are firmly above $100 a barrel while natural gas is up more than 6%. That has left the Japanese yen just belo...