Daily risk briefing ·
Market crash risk on 8 February 2026: 62.5% (Nearly Crash)
vs previous day change +0.2 pts vs previous day vs 1 week earlier change +0.6 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 66.2% (Nearly Crash), the Overall Gauge hit 62.5% (Nearly Crash), and the Geopolitical Layer is 51.2% (Risky). Key drivers are Somalia's Red Sea role and failed Iran-US talks in Muscat. The extreme "Nearly Crash" readings signal high systemic risk, demanding defensive positioning by investors.
Geopolitical drivers
- Somalia cited as missing pillar of Red Sea stability72Ongoing instability in the Gulf of Aden maintains high insurance premiums and operational costs for global shipping lanes, directly impacting trade inflation.
- Iran-US talks fail to yield deal in Muscat66The lack of diplomatic progress sustains the geopolitical risk premium on crude oil prices and increases the potential for great-power escalation in the Middle East.
- Russia-Ukraine war enters day 1,44564The protracted conflict continues to disrupt global supply chains for key commodities, including energy and agricultural products, maintaining inflationary pressure.
Biggest 5-day market moves
- Bitcoin/USD −8323.44
- Gold Spot Price +265.90
- S&P 500 Index −6.73
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-23 | 47.5 | 46.6 | 52.3 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-20 | 48.0 | 49.1 | 41.6 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-19 | 46.1 | 46.9 | 41.9 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-18 | 48.8 | 49.5 | 44.9 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-17 | 49.5 | 49.4 | 50.1 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-16 | 49.5 | 49.3 | 50.9 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-13 | 50.0 | 48.5 | 58.9 | Risky |
| 2026-02-12 | 42.1 | 39.2 | 58.8 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-11 | 42.6 | 39.2 | 61.6 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-10 | 39.6 | 36.0 | 60.3 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-09 | 46.6 | 44.2 | 60.5 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-06 | 52.0 | 50.6 | 59.5 | Risky |
| 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 |
Not financial advice. Use the gauge as a risk thermometer, not a timing oracle.