The year-to-date has been characterised by a series of geopolitical events. While markets largely shrugged off the US military action in Venezuela, the war in the Middle East triggered a sharp rise in energy prices, with knock-on effects across global markets.
With the Middle East conflict now entering its second month, high energy prices have produced knock-on effects across global financial markets. The US and European breakeven curves surged as markets repriced inflation expectations and the likelihood of central-bank rate cuts.