Geopolitical events
On August 24, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the "Maritime Freedom Executive Order," authorizing the deployment of two additional carrier strike groups to the Gulf of Oman. This military escalation is a direct response to the ongoing Iranian maritime blockade which has severely disrupted global energy supplies following the collapse of the "Islamabad Memorandum." The President stated that the United States will "no longer tolerate the strangulation of global commerce" and issued a 72--hour ultimatum for the cessation of hostile naval activities. This decision has triggered immediate volatility in global markets, with gold prices surging to record highs as geopolitical risk premiums escalate.