Daily risk briefing ·
Market crash risk on 20 February 2026: 53.5% (Risky)
vs previous day change +0.9 pts vs previous day vs 1 week earlier change −0.1 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 55.5% (Risky), the Overall Gauge hit 53.5% (Risky), and the Geopolitical Layer is 47.7% (Risky). Pressure stems from Trump’s 15-day ultimatum to Iran and the increasing US military build-up near the region. This geopolitical friction creates a risk-off environment, potentially decoupling market performance from underlying financial fundamentals.
Geopolitical drivers
- Trump warns Iran of 'bad things' if no deal in 10-15 days72This raises the risk of direct military confrontation or increased sanctions, potentially impacting oil prices and global trade flows.
- US military build-up near Iran64Increased military presence in the region heightens the risk of regional conflict, which could disrupt energy supply and shipping routes.
- Clashes in Yemen over STC storming32Continued internal conflict in Yemen poses a risk to vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea and could impact regional energy security.
Biggest 5-day market moves
- Bitcoin/USD +1943.74
- Gold Spot Price +29.60
- S&P 500 Index +29.13
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | 61.0 | 58.5 | 75.2 | Risky |
| 2026-03-05 | 57.7 | 54.5 | 75.8 | Risky |
| 2026-03-04 | 62.5 | 60.3 | 75.0 | Risky |
| 2026-03-03 | 58.1 | 56.1 | 69.2 | Risky |
| 2026-03-02 | 56.4 | 54.5 | 66.5 | Risky |
| 2026-02-27 | 51.2 | 50.1 | 57.7 | Risky |
| 2026-02-26 | 47.1 | 45.6 | 55.8 | Cautious |
| 2026-02-25 | 50.8 | 50.4 | 52.7 | Risky |
| 2026-02-24 | 53.2 | 53.1 | 53.7 | Risky |
| 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 |
Not financial advice. Use the gauge as a risk thermometer, not a timing oracle.