Daily risk briefing ·
Market crash risk on 21 January 2026: 59.2% (Risky)
vs previous day change +6.5 pts vs previous day vs 1 week earlier change +0.2 pts vs 1 week earlier
This briefing was published under methodology v1 (fixed thresholds, trend penalty, regime multiplier). Its numbers are kept as published and are not comparable with v2 readings. See the current methodology.
Summary
The Financial Composite Gauge registered 61.6% (Nearly Crash), the Overall Gauge hit 59.2% (Risky), and the Geopolitical Layer is 52.0% (Risky). US and Iran war threats (95.0%) dominate geopolitical drivers alongside persistent global tension. The Nearly Crash financial reading suggests severe market stress, outpacing the current core geopolitical risk score.
Geopolitical drivers
- US and Iran exchange broadscale war threats95The heated rhetoric raises the risk of great-power escalation in the Middle East, directly threatening the security of shipping lanes and global oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Japan restarts world's biggest nuclear plant68The restart significantly increases Japan's domestic energy supply, potentially reducing global demand pressure on LNG and fossil fuels, impacting energy prices.
- Gaza conflict continues despite ceasefire phase64Continued conflict maintains high regional political risk premiums, affecting investor credit sentiment and potentially disrupting regional trade and energy infrastructure.
Biggest 5-day market moves
- Bitcoin/USD −5930.46
- Gold Spot Price +250.90
- S&P 500 Index −166.88
Chart values use methodology v2 (point-in-time backfill), so they differ from the v1 numbers published above.
Show data table
| Date | Total | Financial | Geopolitical | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-05 | 45.8 | 42.5 | 64.0 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-04 | 42.2 | 39.0 | 60.1 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-03 | 35.7 | 31.5 | 59.8 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-02 | 40.9 | 37.3 | 61.5 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-30 | 36.8 | 31.9 | 64.2 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-29 | 34.2 | 29.0 | 63.6 | Safe |
| 2026-01-28 | 32.6 | 26.9 | 64.6 | Safe |
| 2026-01-27 | 35.0 | 29.7 | 65.4 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-26 | 36.3 | 31.7 | 62.4 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-23 | 35.0 | 30.3 | 61.2 | Safe |
| 2026-01-22 | 39.8 | 36.6 | 58.3 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-21 | 46.6 | 44.0 | 61.1 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-20 | 36.4 | 32.1 | 61.3 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-19 | 34.6 | 29.7 | 62.2 | Safe |
| 2026-01-16 | 34.4 | 29.7 | 60.5 | Safe |
| 2026-01-15 | 44.4 | 35.1 | 96.9 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-14 | 42.6 | 32.9 | 97.7 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-13 | 38.6 | 28.2 | 97.8 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-12 | 37.4 | 26.7 | 97.8 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-09 | 43.4 | 34.0 | 96.8 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-08 | 43.9 | 34.7 | 96.3 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-07 | 39.2 | 29.8 | 92.5 | Cautious |
| 2026-01-06 | 41.9 | 33.5 | 89.7 | Cautious |
Not financial advice. Use the gauge as a risk thermometer, not a timing oracle.