Daily risk briefing ·
Market crash risk on 18 March 2026: 71.5% (Nearly Crash)
vs previous day change −8.2 pts vs previous day vs 1 week earlier change +3.3 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 74.1% (Nearly Crash), the Overall Gauge hit 71.5% (Nearly Crash), and the Geopolitical Layer is 63.4% (Severe). Primary drivers are the Iran-Israel direct missile conflict at 88.0% and Iranian oil infrastructure risk at 68.0%. This data suggests a significant divergence between current market valuations and the rising probability of a severe geopolitical shock.
Geopolitical drivers
- Iran-Israel Direct Missile Conflict88Iran's direct missile strikes on Israel increase the probability of a wider regional war, impacting global energy supply/prices.
- Iranian Oil Infrastructure Risk68The strategic focus on Iranian oil infrastructure in US-Israel planning creates significant upside pressure on energy supply/prices.
- Persian Gulf Shipping Threats64Missile and drone activity across the Gulf necessitates rerouting of tankers, directly impacting shipping lanes/chokepoints.
Biggest 5-day market moves
- Bitcoin/USD +4299.81
- Gold Spot Price −168.50
- S&P 500 Index −65.39
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-02 | 66.7 | 65.8 | 72.0 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-04-01 | 70.5 | 70.3 | 71.7 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-31 | 75.0 | 75.0 | 74.6 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-30 | 75.6 | 75.7 | 75.0 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-27 | 72.0 | 71.4 | 75.3 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-26 | 69.7 | 68.8 | 74.7 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-25 | 71.0 | 70.2 | 75.7 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-24 | 71.5 | 70.3 | 78.6 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-23 | 73.6 | 72.8 | 78.6 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-20 | 70.5 | 69.1 | 78.7 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-19 | 68.9 | 67.6 | 76.1 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-18 | 66.1 | 64.7 | 74.2 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-17 | 68.1 | 66.6 | 76.5 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-16 | 70.3 | 69.2 | 77.0 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-13 | 70.0 | 68.5 | 78.9 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-12 | 65.6 | 63.5 | 77.6 | Nearly Crash |
| 2026-03-11 | 63.0 | 60.8 | 75.5 | Risky |
| 2026-03-10 | 64.6 | 63.0 | 73.8 | Risky |
| 2026-03-09 | 65.6 | 63.7 | 76.6 | Nearly Crash |
| 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 |
Not financial advice. Use the gauge as a risk thermometer, not a timing oracle.