Week Ahead: Monday, March 30, 2026 to Friday, April 3, 2026 — Market Analysis

Key Themes This Week

• •Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain the dominant market driver, with the U.S.-Iran conflict entering its second month and President Trump extending the deadline to strike Iranian energy infrastructure until April 6, creating ongoing uncertainty for oil markets, where WTI crude settled at $99.64 per barrel on Friday and Brent crude closed at $112.57
• •The March employment report on Friday represents the week's most significant economic data release, with economists expecting 57,000 jobs added in March, a sharp rebound from February's loss of 92,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate is expected to hold at 4.4%
• •Nike's fiscal Q3 2026 earnings on Tuesday will be closely watched, with analysts expecting EPS of $0.29 and attention focused on management's guidance regarding global demand and rising logistics costs