This week, markets were trying to assess the impact of the military escalation in the Middle East on different markets. Let’s break down the main developments of the narratives and capital flows during the week of activation of the conflict. The obvious reaction to the military escalation was gaps for Crude oil futures and Gold.
The US dollar retreated only modestly from its recent highs against various other major currencies despite February’s NFP released on 6 March coming in much lower than expected at negative 92,000. This article summarises the latest American job report and the revisions that came with it then looks briefly at the charts of EURUSD and
Gold didn’t creep higher in early 2026. It lunged. In late January, futures pushed through $5,500 an ounce before sellers finally stepped in. Silver, true to form, overshot even more dramatically, tagging levels above $120 in what felt like a momentum chase more than orderly price discovery. Within days, both metals gave back a meaningful
While geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf continue to dominate headlines, global markets are preparing for another key catalyst. On 6 March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will release the Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) report for February, one of the most closely watched indicators on the economic calendar. According to Elev8 broker, the report
Given the strength of the active impulse waves iii and 5, WTI Crude Oil can be expected to rise to the next resistance level 82.00 (former resistance barrier from the start of 2024, which is also the target price for the completion of the active Wave (C)). WTI Crude Oil broke resistance area Likely
On March 5, 2026, the digital asset market reached a psychological turning point as social media mentions and general “buzz” surrounding altcoins plummeted to their lowest levels in over two years. Data from the crypto sentiment analysis platform Santiment indicates that the “Social Dominance” of alternative cryptocurrencies has fallen to a score of 33, a
The stability of the Swiss economy and inflation remaining below 1% have helped the Swiss franc maintain its reputation as a safe-haven asset, particularly amid heightened geopolitical tensions and elevated gold prices. As illustrated on the USD/CHF chart, the US dollar declined against the franc to below 0.7650 in February, marking its weakest level since
US-Iran conflict lifts oil, boosts gold and silver, fuels haven demand, while strong US data complicates Fed rate-cut expectations amid inflation fears. The Middle East Cauldron: Geopolitical Risk and Supply Chain Fragility The primary catalyst for the current market volatility is the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, which has now entered a
In previous editions of Pretiorates’ Thoughts, we pointed to deeper stock markets, a higher oil price, and the danger of a war with Iran. Just two weeks ago, we told our readers not to write off the US dollar too soon. Now, many things seem to be moving in precisely this direction. However, these are
On 3 March, the EUR/USD pair slipped below the January trough, near 1.15777, marking the lowest point of the year so far. By 5 March, the chart reveals early signs that bearish pressure may continue. The US dollar continues to benefit from safe-haven demand amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, supporting its strength. Meanwhile,