By 2025, existing-home sales in the United States slipped to just over 4 million, slightly below 2024 and the weakest level in decades, as many owners felt unable to sell. Ultra-low mortgages below 3–4% taken during the pandemic, combined with current borrowing costs around 6–7%, have created a lock-in effect that discourages moving and keeps inventory tight. First-time buyers now face high prices, fewer listings, and higher rates, pushing their average age close to 40 and their share of purchases to about 21%.

On March 12, 2026, the US Treasury's OFAC issued General License No. 134, temporarily allowing Russian oil loaded before that date to be sold, delivered and unloaded until April 11. The move, driven by the Hormuz Strait shutdown and oil prices rising above $100 per barrel, releases around 120 million barrels already at sea without authorizing new production or exports. Moscow has framed the step as recognition of Russia's role in market stability, while divisions within the G7 and warnings of potential $150–$200 oil highlight the broader risk of a deeper supply shock.

Rich‑list data for early 2026 indicates that the largest 10 XRP addresses control over 11 billion coins, while the top 50 wallets together hold around 40–45% of the circulating supply. With only about 60 billion XRP actually in circulation and the remainder locked in Ripple‑linked escrow, a mix of corporate, exchange and whale wallets dominates ownership, as around 2,200 XRP is enough to reach the top 10% of addresses and roughly 46,000 XRP places a wallet in the global top 1%.

US equities fell on Monday as another sharp rise in oil prices weighed on sentiment, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping about 453 points and the S&P 500 also moving lower. Brent crude traded around $106–$107 per barrel and WTI held above $103, fueling concerns that higher energy costs could sustain inflation and pressure growth-sensitive sectors.

Brent crude has climbed beyond $110 per barrel as mounting tensions around Iran and disruption risks in the Strait of Hormuz drive fears of a deeper supply shock. The surge, which has added more than 30% to Brent in a matter of weeks, is pressuring global equities, bond markets and currencies as investors reassess inflation and growth outlooks. If prices remain elevated, scrutiny on central bank policy, energy costs and recession risks is expected to intensify.

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 785 points, or 1.61%, to 47,399 amid a Brent crude surge to $90 and shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Energy supply fears from the US-Iran conflict drove heavy losses in major financial, industrial, and healthcare names, while select energy stocks gained. Analysts' models now link further oil price spikes to additional Dow declines, with upcoming payroll data and potential Hormuz developments set to determine whether the index rebounds or slides toward lower levels.

The S&P 500's 2026 rally is under pressure as futures fell about 2% in early Tuesday trading while Brent crude briefly pushed toward 83 USD and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz intensified. The index had already slipped 0.5% to 6,860.71 on Monday as oil prices jumped more than 6% and volatility surged, forcing investors to reassess inflation, Federal Reserve expectations and sector positioning.

Oil futures spiked 10% after Iran's navy shut the Strait of Hormuz, raising alarm over a potential global supply disruption and sharply higher fuel costs. Analysts say U.S. gasoline, which was just under $3 per gallon days ago, could quickly move above $3.20-$3.30 on average and toward $4-$5 in some regions if the closure persists.

MARA Holdings said it booked a $1.71 billion net loss in Q4 2025 and a 6% revenue drop to $202.3 million as Bitcoin weakness drove a $1.5 billion revaluation. Shares rose about 12% pre-market while the firm outlined an AI and high-performance computing pivot, including a joint venture targeting over 1 gigawatt of IT capacity.