Global Scans · Conflict · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Rising tensions around are bringing new and regional geopolitical threats and the possibility of eventual global war. Keep abreast of the unfolding drama and know where the risks and opportunities are in the world.

• [New] The Iran conflict has introduced considerable additional risk and uncertainty for Australia. KPMG
• [New] Investment banks expect the headline rate to climb back toward 4.0% by late summer as base effects flip and the 50% rise in global oil prices since the Iran conflict began feeds through into UK prices with a lag. investing.com
• [New] The Federal Reserve's favored top-line inflation gauge is rapidly approaching 4% as a war-driven spike in energy costs generates unease that price pressures will broaden. financialpost
• [New] Drone strike on UAE nuclear plant renews risk of war in Middle East, Marine Corps faced with unfilled gap in Indo-Pacific, and Russia unleashes more missile strikes on Ukraine. The American Legion
• [New] The Iran war could be driving a paradigm shift in markets that creates a new class of stock winners. Business Insider
• [New] Conflict involving Iran could create wider disruption for the global chemical supply chain, particularly because so much of the synthetic materials economy starts with oil. WSI
• [New] The war on Iran, and its disruption of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, has highlighted the fragility of global energy supply chains. Insurance Journal
• [New] US-Israel war with Iran among issues looming large as Rubio expected to seek mend in ties with New Delhi. Al Jazeera
• [New] Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has positioned Islamabad as the essential mediator in a conflict that directly threatens Pakistan's regional stability and economic interests. Crypto Briefing
• [New] The key risk is that the Middle East conflict turns what might have been a temporary energy shock into a more persistent inflation event. The Plan Advocate
• [New] As a result, the inflation outlook for the remainder of the year will likely be less about tariffs and more about the evolving Middle East conflict. The Plan Advocate
• [New] Headline inflation is projected to peak at an annualized 5.1% in the second quarter of 2026 due to the Middle East conflict before falling in the second half of the year. Young & Associates
• [New] The conflict in the Middle East is a major supply shock that will test the resilience of a world with limited scope for fiscal support, even as US and Iran have negotiated a two-week ceasefire. Insurance Journal
• [New] The war in Iran threatens to open a new era of nuclear proliferation, creating imminent national security risks and geopolitical consequences. Journalism Institute
• [New] The lack of credible options could mean that NATO would be forced to end the war rather than risk a massive nuclear exchange should Russia resort to using a few tactical nuclear weapons. Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP)
• [New] Investors will parse their comments for any concern about the longer-term outlook for inflation given persistent supply constraints related to the Middle East conflict. financialpost
• [New] Across Asia, rice supply is expected to fall in 2026 due to the Iran war and an emerging El Nino. MarineLink
• [New] The conflict between the U.S.-Israeli coalition and Iran has resulted in significant disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Crypto Briefing
• [New] The Islamic Republic's terrorism exports and missile force have posed as great a threat to European security as they have to American and Israeli security. Hudson Institute
• [New] Differences over Taiwan could lead to conflict between China and the U.S. Democracy Now!

Last updated: 26 May 2026