Optimism

• Un sondaggio di Santander US per il primo trimestre del 2026 ha rilevato che quasi 8 americani su 10 (78%) ritengono di essere sulla giusta strada verso la prosperità finanziaria, segnando un significativo miglioramento del sentiment. • La quota di intervistati che si sente finanziariamente insicura è scesa ai minimi storici del sondaggio, indicando una resiliente fiducia dei consumatori nonostante le pressioni economiche. • Questo ottimismo contrasta con i recenti rapporti sull'inflazione, suggerendo che le famiglie si stiano adattando bene all'aumento dei costi di carburante e alimentari.

• I mercati azionari globali, tra cui Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, Nikkei 225 e KOSPI, hanno raggiunto nuovi record, spinti da un ottimismo verso l'IA che ha prevalso sulle tensioni legate al cessate il fuoco tra USA e Iran. • L'aumento dei prezzi del petrolio, le maggiori aspettative di inflazione e la retorica hawkish della Fed hanno spinto al rialzo i rendimenti dei Treasury USA, rafforzando la prospettiva di tassi d'interesse "higher-for-longer" e la forza del USD. • Il Presidente Trump si recherà in Cina per un vertice con Xi Jinping su Iran, questioni nucleari, commercio e IA, accompagnato da dirigenti di Tesla, Apple e BlackRock.

• President Trump stated on Wednesday he is 'cautiously optimistic' about a potential U.S.-Iran deal following 'very good talks over the last 24 hours,' potentially involving Iran surrendering uranium, lifting U.S. sanctions, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. • Trump issued a one-week ultimatum on X, warning 'if they don't agree, the bombing starts' at a 'much higher level and intensity than before.' • Iran is reviewing the U.S. peace proposal, as reported in ongoing diplomatic efforts amid claims the U.S. has already won the war with Iran.

• The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to close above 7,000 points for the first time, while the Nasdaq Composite surged 1.6% to a record high, driven by gains in technology and software stocks and optimism over potential U.S.-Iran peace talks. • Bank of America posted a 17% rise in quarterly profit from strong trading and investment banking fee rebounds, while Morgan Stanley reported a near 30% profit jump supported by record equities trading revenue and improved dealmaking activity. • Stock index futures edged higher after-hours, with S&P 500 Futures up 0.2% to 7,070.75 points and Nasdaq 100 Futures rising 0.3% to 26,440.75 points, reflecting continued market momentum.

• US stocks recovered from early morning losses Thursday to finish higher, with the S&P 500 up 0.7%, Dow Jones up 0.8% (382 points), and Nasdaq composite up 0.8%, buoyed by optimism over a two-week ceasefire with Iran announced late Tuesday. • Israel's announcement of direct negotiations with Lebanon helped calm market concerns that the ceasefire could unravel due to Israeli bombardment of the country, reversing initial trading pessimism. • The S&P 500 remains just 2.1% below its all-time high set in January, indicating underlying market strength despite geopolitical volatility and oil price fluctuations.

Intel gained 1.7% on March 13, 2026, fueled by optimism over US semiconductor manufacturing investments and government domestic chip support. This bucked the broader market trend where S&P 500 and Nasdaq declined on geopolitical worries. The move signals continued sector strength, with high trading volume in semis despite VIX at 26.49. Future catalysts include policy updates on chip subsidies.