Data Shock - Joe Blogs

[TexasTowelie]

In today’s update, we break down the latest developments in the Iran war and what it means for the global economy.

For the first time since the war in Iran began, we are now seeing real data that shows the impact on the global economy — and it’s not good.

In this video, I break down the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data for March, which shows a clear slowdown in business activity across the US, UK, Europe, Japan and India, with Australia already slipping into contraction.

At the same time, costs are rising rapidly due to disruption in energy supplies, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles around 20% of global oil and gas flows.

This combination of slowing growth and rising inflation is a major warning sign for the global economy.

However, financial markets are reacting very differently.

Stock markets have been rising and oil prices have fallen back below $100 per barrel, following comments from Donald Trump that the US is in talks with Iran and has proposed a 15-point plan to end the conflict.

But Iran has rejected the idea of negotiations, raising serious questions about whether markets are being too optimistic — or simply ignoring the reality of what’s happening.

So in this video, we look at:

• The latest global PMI data and what it tells us
• Why costs are rising so quickly
• The disconnect between markets and reality
• Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan
• And what this all means for the global economy in 2026

This is the first real evidence that the war is already having a measurable impact — and the big question now is how much worse things could get.