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Escalating conflict in the Middle East has rattled markets, driving oil and gold higher while equities wobble, as threats to the Strait of Hormuz raise global inflation risks. At the same time, leadership is shifting away from US tech giants toward energy, mining and other “asset-heavy” sectors, with tariff uncertainty adding to the tension. Despite the noise, markets have started 2026 strongly — reinforcing the value of diversification in an increasingly unpredictable world