On the last weekend of February 2026, U.S. and Israeli forces struck Iranian nuclear and military sites, sending Brent crude surging past $100 and briefly to nearly $120 per barrel, triggering gold's strongest run in years, and handing investors their sharpest market scare since early 2020. The human cost of any such conflict is immeasurable. But for those responsible for portfolios, understanding how markets behave in these moments can become the most crucial thing.
