Markets Survive Iran Crisis, But Energy Squeeze Looms

0:00This is Sydney News Today, powered by AI and presented by the Daily News Now. Financial markets used to climb slowly for months or years, then crash hard, leaving investors reeling for a long time. Think the 1929 crash leading to the Great Depression, or Black Monday in 1987, shaking things up for years. But since the short COVID crash that lasted just three weeks, recoveries have been incredibly quick. Take this week, oil prices shot up 25% to 117 dollars a barrel after a U.S. and Israeli strike on Iran. Stocks tumbled too, with Australia's main index dropping as much as 4.2%. Then everything reversed overnight on vague talk, that the conflict was wrapping up. Investors have powered through three straight years of double digit gains, putting markets at sky high levels. Early boosts came from big tech stocks, then excitement over artificial intelligence. Now concerns grow that AI could wipe out high paying jobs in law, banking, and tech itself, while money shifts to gold, minors, and overlooked markets.

1:04In Asia, energy experts warned this. Iran situation risks the biggest crisis in 50 years. Shipping through key routes has nearly stopped, spiking gas prices, but stocks barely blinked. Unlike past shocks, this hits liquefied natural gas hard, echoing the 1970s oil crises. Behind it all, massive cash from global financial crisis and COVID stimulus has tripled the U.S. money supply, flooding into stocks and property. Dips now look like buying chances. Still, a drawn out energy squeeze could spark inflation, higher rates, and stack inflation, testing this new market toughness. The Daily News Now is presented by our sponsor, LinkedIn the description. It is a pillow that plays your podcast and music without ear buds, built for listening in bed. S-O-L-I-SOLY-PILLO.com