{"id":12259,"date":"2026-03-16T08:20:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T08:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justmarkets.eu\/?p=12259"},"modified":"2026-03-16T08:20:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T08:20:11","slug":"weekly-overview-2026-03-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justmarkets.eu\/pt\/analytics\/weekly-overview-2026-03-16\/","title":{"rendered":"Week’s main events (March 16 \u2013 March 20)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Week’s main events March 16 \u2013 March 20)<\/h1>\n
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In March 2026, the global economy is entering a \u201cperfect storm\u201d scenario, where the energy crisis in the Persian Gulf coincides with a decisive week for the world\u2019s major central banks. The key event will be the Fed meeting on March 17-18, which will be Jerome Powell\u2019s penultimate one as chair. Investors are waiting to see whether the regulator will risk starting a rate-cut cycle amid $100 oil or opt for a \u201chawkish pause\u201d to contain the inflation shock. At the same time, the ECB and the Bank of England (BoE) will make their decisions, where, against the backdrop of falling eurozone GDP and the British pound, officials will have to balance supporting growth with combating imported inflation due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Monetary policy decisions will span all key markets: the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will assess the need for emergency policy normalization to prevent the yen from falling below 160. At the same time, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) will leave interest rates unchanged as rising oil prices are expected to reduce deflation risks in the near term. Also, China will release a slew of data for the first two months of the year, including industrial production and retail sales, which will show how effectively the world\u2019s second-largest economy is recovering following the recent trade truce with the US.<\/p>\n

Monday, March 16 <\/div>\n
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The most critical events for Monday are the China Industrial Production and the Canada Inflation Rate (CPI). China\u2019s industrial output is forecast to grow at 5.2% for the combined January-February period, a slight acceleration from the end of 2025. A result that meets or exceeds this target would suggest that Beijing\u2019s stimulus measures are gaining traction, potentially boosting the Australian Dollar (AUD) and regional indices such as the HK50. In Canada, the annual inflation rate for February is forecast to hold steady at 2.3%, while core inflation is expected to remain at 2.6%. If the CPI print surprises to the upside, it will likely strengthen the Canadian Dollar (CAD) as investors trim bets on imminent Bank of Canada rate cuts. Traders should also keep an eye on US Industrial Production (expected at 0.4% m\/m): a strong showing here would reinforce the narrative of US economic exceptionalism, offering late-session support to the US Dollar (USD).<\/p>\n

Main events of the day:<\/div>\n
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  • \u2013 China Industrial Production (m\/m) at 04:00 (GMT+2); – CHA50, HK50 (MED)<\/li>\n
  • \u2013 China Retail Sales (m\/m) at 04:00 (GMT+2); – CHA50, HK50 (MED)<\/li>\n
  • \u2013 China Unemployment Rate (m\/m) at 04:00 (GMT+2); – CHA50, HK50 (MED)<\/li>\n
  • \u2013 Canada Consumer Price Index (m\/m) at 14:30 (GMT+2); – CAD (HIGH)<\/li>\n
  • \u2013 US Industrial Production (m\/m) at 15:15 (GMT+2). – USD (MED)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    Tuesday, March 17<\/div>\n
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    The most significant events on Tuesday will be the Reserve Bank of Australia\u2019s (RBA) interest rate decision and the release of the ZEW Economic Sentiment Index in Germany. The consensus view is that the Reserve Bank of Australia will raise the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.10%. This shift in the consensus forecast is driven by persistent inflation and a strong labor market. Australia\u2019s fuel reserves are critically depleted due to the conflict in the Middle East, which will push prices higher. If the RBA raises rates and maintains a \u201chawkish\u201d tone at the press conference, this is likely to provide significant support for the Australian dollar (AUD). In Europe, the ZEW Economic Sentiment Index in Germany is forecast to decline to 34.0-39.0 from last month\u2019s high of 58.3. This expected decline reflects analysts\u2019 growing caution regarding the sustainability of the eurozone\u2019s recovery amid structural challenges in the industrial sector. A reading below 34.0 would signal a sharp deterioration in future expectations, likely putting downward pressure on the euro (EUR). Meanwhile, US pending home sales are expected to remain weak.<\/p>\n

    Main events of the day:<\/div>\n