This Week in Review | Energy Markets, Fed Meeting, Earnings Reporting (Mar. 20, 2026)
Energy markets experienced volatility with oil reaching $110/barrel due to Strait of Hormuz closure from Iran conflict, while the Fed held rates steady at 3.5-3.75%. The SEC is considering eliminating quarterly earnings reporting requirements in favor of semi-annual reporting.
Summary
Global energy markets saw significant volatility this week as the Strait of Hormuz remained closed due to ongoing conflict with Iran, pushing Brent crude to around $110 per barrel and spiking European natural gas prices, though both remain below last week's highs. Despite concerns about rising costs and potential economic slowdown, historical analysis shows stocks tend to be positive 6-12 months after conflict outbreaks, and businesses are considered resilient enough to adapt to higher energy price ranges. The Federal Reserve maintained its policy rate unchanged at 3.5-3.75% for the second consecutive meeting, citing uncertainty from Middle East conflicts. While higher energy prices could cause temporary inflation upticks, analysts believe sustained broad-based inflation is unlikely due to moderate money supply growth and energy's limited 7% weight in the US consumer price index. The positive yield curve environment remains supportive for stocks regardless of incremental rate adjustments. Additionally, the SEC is reportedly preparing a proposal to eliminate quarterly earnings reporting requirements in favor of semi-annual reporting, aimed at reducing compliance burdens and encouraging more companies to go public. However, the decline in publicly traded companies from 7,500 in 1998 to 3,500 today is attributed to multiple factors beyond reporting frequency, and such regulatory changes typically take years to implement with ample time for market adaptation.
About this episode
The economy and markets can feel dizzying and ever changing. That’s where we can help. Fisher Investments’ “This Week in Review” is a weekly segment designed to highlight a few things you may have missed this week, what they could mean for financial markets and why they matter to investors like you. This week, Fisher Investments reviews: • Energy markets • The latest on the Fed • Earnings reporting proposal Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:29 Energy Market Volatility 2:20 Fed Meeting 4:23 Earnings Reporting 5:45 Outro Want to dig deeper? • What to make of the recent jump in gasoline prices: https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/insights/market-commentary/pain-at-the-pump-wont-hurt-the-global-economy • A look at the Fed’s latest decision to hold its policy rate along with developments from other major central banks: https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/insights/market-commentary/around-the-world-in-central-banking-iran-war-edition • A closer look at what a change quarterly earnings reporting requirements could mean: https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/insights/market-commentary/fine-solution-seeks-material-problem Have feedback for this Fisher Investments video? Share your thoughts on this episode in just 1 minute by filling out this survey: https://fi.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6Vw1ezlogR044S2?VideoCode=WeekInReview20Mar2026 Connect with Fisher Investments on: • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FisherInvestments • X - https://twitter.com/fisherinvest • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fisher-investments • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fisher.investments/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@fisher_investments You can also follow Ken Fisher here: • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KenFisher.FisherInvestments • X - https://twitter.com/KennethLFisher • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-fisher/ • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kenfisher_fisherinvestments/ Investing in securities involves a risk of loss. Past performance is never a guarantee of future returns. Investing in foreign stock markets involves additional risks, such as the risk of currency fluctuations. The foregoing constitutes the general views of Fisher Investments and should not be regarded as personalized investment advice. Nothing herein is intended to be a recommendation. The opinions expressed are subject to change without notice.
Key Insights
- Energy comprises less than 7% of the US consumer price index, which significantly limits how much oil and gas price spikes can influence headline inflation rates, suggesting current energy volatility may have less economic impact than feared
- The number of publicly traded US companies has declined from over 7,500 in 1998 to around 3,500 today due to multiple complex factors, indicating that changing from quarterly to semi-annual reporting alone is unlikely to meaningfully reverse this trend
Topics
Transcript
Hello and welcome to This Week in Review. This weekly segment is designed to highlight a few important developments you may have missed this week, what they may mean for markets, and most importantly, the potential impact for investors. To stay up to date with our latest market insights, subscribe to our YouTube channel or visit FisherInvestments.com. Now, let's review what happened this week. Energy Market Volatility Global oil prices continued to climb this week as the strategically important Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed to shipping due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. As of this morning, Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, is trading around $110 per barrel. Natural gas has also been affected, with the European benchmark…
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