Markets stayed in risk-off mode on Friday, March 13, 2026, as the Iran war kept oil near $100, supported gold, hit global stocks, and pushed crypto prices higher.
Crypto
The crypto market is showing a modest recovery, but sentiment remains cautious, with total market capitalization at $2.44 trillion, up 2.34%, while the Fear & Greed Index sits at 31, still in fear, the Altcoin Season Index stands at 39/100, showing Bitcoin is still leading the market, and the average crypto RSI is at 56.45.
Bitcoin trades at $71,976, up 2.05%, while Ethereum is at $2,110.20, up 1.77%, BNB stands at $667.61, up 2.44%, and Solana is at $89.32, up 2.86%, showing that traders are still buying selectively rather than fully chasing risk.
Bitcoin ETF flows also stayed supportive over the last three sessions, with total net inflows of $246.9 million on March 10, $115.2 million on March 11, and $53.8 million on March 12, while IBIT remained the main driver with inflows of $185.8 million, $115.3 million, and $46.1 million over the same period.
Commodities
Oil remains at the center of the trading scene, with Brent hovering at $101.488, down 0.59% over 24 hours, and U.S. crude at $96.22, down 0.17%, while both contracts are still heading for strong weekly gains and remain close to their highest levels since 2022 as traders stay focused on supply risks tied to the Strait of Hormuz.
In metals, gold is at $5,077.445, down just 0.01%, while silver is at $82.4827, down 1.63%, with gold still holding close to record levels as investors continue to use it as a safe-haven asset against war risk and inflation worries.
Stock Market Indices
U.S. equities are under pressure, with the S&P 500 at 6,672.61, down 1.52%, the Dow Jones at 46,677.85, down 1.56%, and the Nasdaq at 22,311.98, down 1.78%, as investors move away from growth and risky trades.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.57% to 52,530, while in Europe, the FTSE 100 dropped 0.57% to 10,230.3. Both markets are reacting to the same pressure: higher oil, weaker risk appetite, and concern that central banks may rethink rate cuts.
Geopolitics & Market Movers
On the diplomatic front, the main issue remains the Middle East war and the threat to keep the Strait of Hormuz shut, which is the main reason markets are still pricing in higher energy risk and staying defensive. A second political concern is the uncertainty over how long the conflict will last and how Washington handles the next step, adding more volatility to markets.
On the economic front, investors are increasingly treating the oil shock as an inflation problem, with rate-cut hopes sharply scaled back as markets now price in only about 20 basis points of Fed easing this year, down from roughly 50 basis points a month ago.
