Global equities have declined in March 2026, coinciding with the start of the war in Iran over the last weekend of February. Exceptions include bitcoin, energy sector ETFs, oil, energy and agricultural commodities, and Israel. Non-US country ETFs such as those for France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan and Mexico have fallen more than 10% since the war began.
Equities worldwide have experienced declines this March, with performance aligning with the onset of the war in Iran, which began over the last weekend of February 2026. According to a Seeking Alpha analysis published on March 20, 2026, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) across most asset classes have posted losses during the month-to-date period, except for a select few performers: bitcoin, the energy sector, oil, other energy and agricultural commodities, and Israel-related investments. This divergence highlights pockets of resilience amid broader market pressure triggered by the conflict. Outside the United States, ETFs tracking countries including France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan and Mexico have dropped by more than 10% since the war's start. Precious metals have also underperformed, with gold and silver experiencing significant declines. The article notes that these trends coincide directly with the escalation in Iran, though it cuts off before detailing further specifics on the winners' performance metrics. No additional timelines or causal links beyond the temporal coincidence are provided in the available summary.
