The dominant narrative in financial markets this week was a sudden escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that sent energy prices sharply higher and injected volatility across global markets. Over the weekend, joint military operations by the United States and Israel targeted senior Iranian leadership and key military infrastructure, triggering immediate retaliation from Iran and raising fears of a broader regional conflict. Markets opened Monday with a pronounced risk-off tone as crude oil surged and investors assessed the potential economic fallout. Crude oil futures rose dramatically throughout the ... (full story)