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Golden Ten Data reported on March 19 that one of the best-performing sectors in the US stock market this year, materials stocks, has now become the most impacted sector since the outbreak of the Iran war, due to soaring oil prices leading to a significant increase in industrial production costs. Sealant manufacturer PPG Industries, packaging company Smurfit WestRock, paper producer International Paper, and concrete producer Vulcan Materials are among the companies whose stock prices have fallen by at least 16% since the close on February 27. The performance of these companies has dragged down the S&P 500 Materials Index, composed of 26 companies, by 10% during the same period. Except for the stocks of these four companies, all other constituent stocks have been in decline since the conflict began. Before the outbreak of the war, only one company’s stock had not fallen throughout the year. At the beginning of 2026, record-high metal prices, strong fourth-quarter earnings, and expected growth in demand for chemical products drove the development of the industry. However, the recent market downturn is due to disruptions in transportation through the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused the price of oil (an important raw material for many materials companies) to rise by as much as 50%, reaching nearly $110 per barrel.

BlockBeats News, March 19th, according to Bitcoin Treasuries, Strategy has recently significantly increased its Bitcoin holdings, with its Bitcoin holdings expected to surpass BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). As of March 19, 2026, Strategy holds 761,068 BTC, worth approximately $56.2 billion, narrowing the gap with BlackRock's 782,170 BTC holdings to just 21,102 BTC. Over the past two weeks, Strategy has acquired a total of 40,331 BTC, spending about $2.85 billion, marking the largest continuous purchase since January this year, significantly reducing the gap with BlackRock. At the current rate, Strategy is expected to surpass BlackRock in the next one to two weeks. In terms of funding sources, this round of purchases has mainly relied on strong demand for STRC preferred shares. The STRC facilitated the larger purchase by raising $11.8 billion (covering approximately 75% of the cost, supporting the purchase of about 16,753 BTC) and contributed around 30% to the previous purchase (about $377 million, supporting the purchase of about 5,313 BTC). Chaitanya Jain, Bitcoin Strategy Manager at Strategy, referred to this pattern as "the most aggressive financial engineering feat to date, expanding the boundaries of Bitcoin's capital formation."

Golden Ten Data reported on March 19 that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has turned Kenya's Lamu Port into an unexpected haven, with ships bound for the Middle East changing their routes and unloading cargo at this underutilized port. The Kenya Ports Authority stated on Wednesday that Lamu Port, located about 340 kilometers (210 miles) north of the busy Mombasa Port, has received 74 ships since the beginning of this year. This accounts for about one-third of the total number of ships served by the port since it was launched in 2021. In the first quarter of last year, the port only received two container ships. Due to the near complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, shipping companies' access to Dubai's Jebel Ali Port (the busiest container port outside Asia) has been restricted. As a result, they are avoiding the Red Sea and opting for the longer route around southern Africa. Currently, many ships are unloading cargo at Lamu Port. The Kenya Ports Authority stated: "Lamu Port is ready to welcome a significant increase in ship visits in the coming days. This development is expected to inject new momentum into regional trade and consolidate the port's position as a major transshipment hub in the region."