Daily Digest — 26 Mar 2026

Markets tumbled globally as tensions escalated between the US, Israel and Iran, with President Trump extending a pause on attacking Iranian energy facilities until April 6th while demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The uncertainty sent crypto markets plunging, with Bitcoin down 3.5% to \(68,700 and Ethereum falling 5% to \)2,057, while oil prices retreated 1.2% to $93.37 as traders weighed the temporary reprieve against ongoing geopolitical risks.

The Iran crisis is rippling through global economies, with the OECD forecasting the UK will face the biggest growth hit among major economies due to the conflict. European officials are urging Washington to pressure Russia into stopping its assistance to Iran, while Costa Rica became the latest nation to sign a deportation agreement with the Trump administration, accepting 25 deportees weekly as immigration enforcement intensifies across the Americas.

Technology sectors saw mixed developments as Wikipedia cracked down on AI-generated content and Mastodon redesigned its platform to attract mainstream users away from centralized social networks. Netflix confirmed another price hike with standard plans now costing \(19.99 monthly, while GameStop sparked speculation by transferring its \)368 million Bitcoin holdings to Coinbase Prime, potentially signaling a shift toward options-based income strategies.

In the UK, new government guidelines recommend limiting screen time for under-5s to one hour daily, while NHS bosses warned that resident doctors’ strikes would cause “maximum harm” as talks with the government collapsed.