Daily risk briefing ·
Market crash risk on 20 May 2026: 63.6% (Nearly Crash)
vs previous day change −1.3 pts vs previous day vs 1 week earlier change −1.8 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 67.0% (Nearly Crash), the Overall Gauge hit 63.6% (Nearly Crash), and the Geopolitical Layer is 53.3% (Risky). Top drivers are the Xi-Putin summit's strategic alignment and the UK easing sanctions on Russian oil imports. The divergence indicates that systemic financial vulnerabilities are driving market risks far quicker than direct geopolitical shocks.
Geopolitical drivers
- Xi-Putin Summit Signals Deeper Strategic Alignment64The high-profile meeting underscores deepening bilateral ties, raising the risk of great-power escalation and potential secondary US sanctions/trade disruption on Chinese entities.
- UK Eases Sanctions on Russian Oil Imports55The watering down of sanctions to combat rising domestic fuel costs directly impacts global energy supply/prices and signals a shift in the enforcement of sanctions/trade disruption.
- Lithuanian Leaders Shelter During Drone Alert46Air alerts in a NATO member state raise the immediate threat of great-power escalation and negatively impact European credit/risk sentiment.
Biggest 5-day market moves
- Bitcoin/USD −3177.79
- Gold Spot Price −197.40
- S&P 500 Index −47.35
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-04 | 41.1 | 37.0 | 64.2 | Cautious |
| 2026-06-03 | 35.9 | 30.4 | 67.5 | Cautious |
| 2026-06-02 | 36.8 | 31.4 | 67.2 | Cautious |
| 2026-06-01 | 36.3 | 30.3 | 69.8 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-29 | 34.9 | 30.1 | 62.4 | Safe |
| 2026-05-28 | 35.7 | 30.9 | 62.7 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-27 | 36.0 | 31.4 | 61.9 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-26 | 42.9 | 34.0 | 93.5 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-25 | 38.5 | 34.1 | 63.4 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-22 | 42.1 | 37.8 | 66.6 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-21 | 43.1 | 39.3 | 64.4 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-20 | 48.0 | 44.8 | 66.0 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-19 | 46.8 | 42.8 | 69.0 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-18 | 47.1 | 42.8 | 71.9 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-15 | 37.3 | 32.0 | 67.2 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-14 | 40.6 | 35.7 | 68.5 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-13 | 41.0 | 35.9 | 70.3 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-12 | 37.2 | 31.8 | 67.5 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-11 | 35.2 | 29.0 | 70.1 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-08 | 38.9 | 33.1 | 71.8 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-07 | 35.6 | 28.9 | 73.7 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-06 | 35.5 | 29.2 | 71.5 | Cautious |
| 2026-05-05 | 39.9 | 33.9 | 74.0 | Cautious |
Not financial advice. Use the gauge as a risk thermometer, not a timing oracle.