The U.S.-Iran agreement now appears to be on hold: Last week brought fresh retaliatory measures and renewed pressure on the Strait of Hormuz. Markets had already priced in a return to normalcy and moved on, but the normalization process is proceeding slowly. While shipping traffic has recovered, it remains well below pre-crisis levels—and the renewed tensions are now jeopardizing this recovery in the short term. As the attached chart shows, heightened geopolitical risks have historically been closely linked to higher inflation, in a remarkably linear relationship. So far, reserves have cushioned the shock, but they are running low, and inflation fears are growing. Paradoxically, the next CPI report could come in negative thanks to the sharp drop in oil prices in June—which will be relevant for the next Fed meeting—but the relief could prove short-lived. The defining feature of this oil shock is not the price level, but its duration, which the market likely underestimates. The Fed faces a dilemma: an AI-driven economy showing signs of overheating, coupled with energy-driven inflation, argues for higher interest rates in the short term. However, oil-driven inflation acts like a tax on consumption, and in an increasingly K-shaped economy, it increases the risk of recession—which argues more for rate cuts than for hikes. Ultimately, this uncertainty typically favors safe-haven assets. Notably, however: $BTC (-1,21%) and $GOLD are among the few assets that have underperformed since the beginning of the year.
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