The latest Market Talks covering Financial Services. Exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.

1028 ET - Typical market seasonality and improving affordability conditions could lead to a highly favorable window for U.S. home sellers during the week of April 12 through April 18, Realtor.com says. That week is expected to be the best time to list a home in 2026, offering a balance of higher prices, strong buyer demand, and a fast market pace. With lower mortgage rates, a cohort of previously sidelined buyers is expected to re-engage with the market. This rebound in demand will coincide with a seasonal thaw, and is expected to peak mid-April, where listings receive more views than the average week, while homes sell roughly nine days quicker than the annual norm. This could translate to a national median listing price that is $5,300 above the annual average, and $26,000 more than in January. (chris.wack@wsj.com)

1022 ET - America's top 20% of earners hold 56.4% of the country's $48 trillion in real estate wealth, according to Redfin. By comparison, the bottom 20% of U.S. earners hold just 5.1% of real estate wealth. The top 1% of earners in America held 12.7% of the country's real estate wealth-almost the same as the bottom 40% of earners, who held just 12.9%. Those in the 80th to 99th income percentile held 43.7% of real estate wealth, and those in the 40th to 60th percentile held 12.4%. But housing affordability has started to improve thanks to slowing home price growth and a dip in mortgage rates. Redfin expects further improvement this year as income growth outpaces home price growth, which will likely help some lower-income house hunters move off the sidelines. (chris.wack@wsj.com)

0910 ET - Measures announced by the United Arab Emirates' central bank offering liquidity, financing and accounting relief to banks is "underscoring our long-held view that UAE has significant resources to deal with any pressures that could emerge from the conflict," Jefferies' Naresh Narendra Bilandani says in a note. "Further stimulus [is] likely," the head of CEEMEA Research says. The central bank said that it approved a proactive financial institution resilience package backed by its assets of 1 trillion UAE dirhams ($272.29 billion). (emese.bartha@wsj.com)

0545 ET - The cost of insuring European bank bonds against default falls as more positive sentiment returns ahead of interest-rate decisions by the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England. Markets expect interest rates to remain unchanged in the U.S., eurozone and the U.K. this week, but hope that the Fed and possibly the BOE could deliver rate cuts later in 2026. The iTraxx Europe Senior Financials index of euro investment-grade financial bonds credit default swaps declines 1 basis point to 64bps, S&P Global Market Intelligence data show. The iTraxx Europe Sub Financials index of euro subordinated bonds CDS falls 3bps to 109bps. (miriam.mukuru@wsj.com)

0520 ET - Bitcoin edges lower, reversing some of its recent gains. Cryptocurrencies have recovered in recent weeks as investors bought them back after hefty selling early in the year. The falls come as oil prices retreat after an export agreement involving Iraq's Kurdistan region. Cryptocurrencies have benefited from investors seeking alternative assets amid the uncertainty of the Middle East war and a jump in energy prices, analysts say. Falls are limited, however, and the outlook for crypto "remains constructive," Saxo analysts say in a note. Inflows into U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds are helping to stabilize prices during periods of volatility, they say. Bitcoin falls 0.5% to $74,150. (jessica.fleetham@wsj.com)

2102 ET - Australian banks would be worth about a third less than currently if higher interest rates and resurgent inflation hit consumers and businesses hard, Morgan Stanley analysts say. Their bear case includes loan growth slowing to low single digits, margins declining by a percentage in the mid single digits, and loss rates rising to 15-20 basis points of loans. This gloomy scenario would result in FY 2027 earnings downgrades of up to 17% relative to Morgan Stanley's base case. Valuation multiples would be cut and MS target prices for Australia's four largest banks would be an average 32% below current share prices. (stuart.condie@wsj.com)

1912 ET - Perpetual can make deeper cost cuts within its Asset Management division, Macquarie says. Perpetual wants to strip some A$70 million-A$80 million of costs from its entire business. It is currently tracking ahead of plan. "We see additional scope, particularly in the Asset Management business, for further cost-out," Macquarie says. It points out that Perpetual's cost-to-income of 80% is above the global asset manager median of 64%. "We note Perpetual previously operated at levels below the global asset manager median (i.e. in FY18-19)," Macquarie says. That shifted as Perpetual consolidated acquisitions including Barrow Hanley and Pendal, while also making investments such as expanding its distribution team. Macquarie has an "outperform" call on Perpetual, which is down 0.7%, at A$16.00 today. (david.winning@wsj.com; @dwinningWSJ)

1413 ET - Higher fuel prices will further weigh on Canada's struggling housing market, predicts Royce Mendes, head of macro strategy at Desjardins Capital Markets. Canada's residential real-estate market is in a pronounced slump, with house prices down 20% from a peak hit three years ago. Data for February indicate existing-home sales on an unadjusted basis fell 8.1% from a year ago. Mendes says the risk of higher inflation is pushing bond yields higher, and that's going to lead to higher mortgage rates--at a time when households are trying to renew 5-year home loans at more expensive rates. He adds the rate of mortgage arrears is trending higher in Ontario, the most trade-exposed province in Canada. Mendes expects the Bank of Canada this week to downplay housing risks. (Paul.Vieira@wsj.com; @paulvieira)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 18, 2026 12:20 ET (16:20 GMT)

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