The third round of Iran US negotiations was held in Oman. According to reports, the Americans entered with strict conditions and the Islamic Republic’s proposal is inconsistent with US demands. Reports say that today Oman’s foreign minister will meet with Vance in Washington. J.D. Vance said in an interview with The Washington Post that the United States will not enter a long term war with Iran. Meanwhile, the idea of a Trump strike on Iran without congressional authorization has been raised and has faced criticism from Democrats. Oil, which had risen last night on disappointment over the talks, fell again after a tweet by Oman’s foreign minister signaled progress in negotiations.

Haruhiko Kuroda, the former governor of the Bank of Japan, said the country’s economy is in a strong position but needs tighter monetary and fiscal policies to contain inflation risks. Kuroda suggested the central bank could raise interest rates twice per year in 2026 to 2027, bringing them to around 1.5 to 1.75%. He warned that government spending and tax cuts under Sanae Takaichi could intensify inflationary pressures and push bond yields higher. Kuroda also described the yen’s depreciation to around 167 per dollar as excessively weak and a factor that could further fuel inflation.

JPMorgan predicted that if the new US crypto market structure legislation is approved by mid year, the crypto market could strengthen in the second half of 2026. The plan seeks to create a transparent regulatory framework for digital assets, but it is moving slowly in the Senate due to disagreements. One of the main challenges is whether platforms such as Coinbase Global Inc. should be allowed to pay yields to stablecoin holders, something banks view as a risk to financial stability. Matt Hougan says crypto downturns usually end gradually and with volatility, and a rapid price rebound appears unlikely.

Tokyo inflation fell to 1.8 percent in February, the lowest level in more than a year, largely due to energy subsidies from the government of Sanae Takaichi. Despite this decline, core inflation excluding energy rose to 2.5 percent and remained above the 2 percent target, indicating that underlying price pressures persist. This situation has complicated policy communication for the Bank of Japan because signs of cooling inflation are appearing alongside continued underlying momentum. Markets still raise the possibility of rate hikes in the coming months, although the central bank is likely to act cautiously while assessing policy effects.