Argus

•

Mar 20, 2026

Sector(s)

Basic Materials, Technology, Consumer Defensive, Industrials

Summary

Stocks are lower at midday on Friday, on track to book a fourth consecutive losing week. Meanwhile, the U.S./Israeli war with Iran shows little sign of calming, with ongoing attacks throughout the Middle East. The event is leading to friction between the U.S. and its allies as the long-term global impact on energy markets grows by the day. At the very least, uncertainty and volatility are high -- two catalysts that equity investors dislike.  From a technical perspective, the major indices are all establishing residency under their 200-day moving averages. The last time the indices lost their 200-day was in the first part of March 2025, during the tariff tantrum. In other market news, stocks must contend with a quadruple witching event today (the quarterly

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