Today’s market action illustrates why trading the headlines can be difficult.
Over the weekend, Iran attacked Israel.
When geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalate, oil prices usually rise and stock markets fall.
Because inflation has not yet been completely vanquished, the stock market should be especially sensitive to the possibility of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz.
If that happened, the price of oil could rally to $150. Inflation and interest rates would surge, and a severe bear market for stocks would follow.
seekingalpha.com/article/4683586-us-inflation-scenarios-war-induced-oil-price-shocks
So why are the markets up today?
It’s because the professional take on the situation is that the attack is a soft response from Iran, and the parties are likely to de-escalate.
stenoresearch.com/iran-israel-debrief-a-very-soft-response-from-iran-what-comes-next
The standard view amongst experienced investors is that headlines in newspapers are usually best ignored. Most political crises the newspapers like to write about are quickly forgotten. They have no lasting impact on the market, ultimately because they have no substantial impact on the world economy.
It is only if Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz that this crisis would have significant worldwide economic consequences.
2024 performance
@triangulacapital +18.0%
$SWDA.L +6.2%
Portfolio changes
Arkema was sold, KB Financial bought.