Daily risk briefing ·
Market crash risk on 20 March 2026: 67.3% (Nearly Crash)
vs previous day change +1.9 pts vs previous day vs 1 week earlier change −3.0 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 66.4% (Nearly Crash), the Overall Gauge hit 67.3% (Nearly Crash), and the Geopolitical Layer is 70.0% (Severe). Risks are driven by Israel-Iran direct conflict escalation (92.0%) and potential Iranian strikes on Gulf oil facilities (88.0%). These severe readings signal a shift toward defensive positioning as markets price in heightened systemic and energy-sector instability.
Geopolitical drivers
- Israel-Iran Direct Conflict Escalation92Direct military conflict between Israel and Iran on day 21 increases the risk of great-power escalation and systemic instability.
- Iranian Strikes on Gulf Oil Facilities88Iranian strikes on Kuwaiti refineries directly threaten global energy supply/prices and cause volatility in crude oil futures.
- Middle East Maritime Chokepoint Threats72Attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and regional war heighten risks to shipping lanes/chokepoints, raising transit and insurance costs.
Biggest 5-day market moves
- Gold Spot Price −371.40
- S&P 500 Index −66.13
- Bitcoin/USD +4.38
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-03 | 68.2 | 67.3 | 72.8 | Nearly Crash |
| 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 |
Not financial advice. Use the gauge as a risk thermometer, not a timing oracle.