Senior Editor

Despite Oil surging >12% to $90+ on the Iran news, the Senior Editor maintains a price target of $40/bbl by the end of the year. He notes that supply is now Western-dominated (US is a net exporter) and compares this spike to the Natural Gas crash earlier in the year. The analyst argues this price spike will "accelerate a bear market" by crushing demand. Furthermore, he infers that President Trump will utilize all tools (political pressure, drilling) to force prices down for the midterms. The thesis is that the war premium is a "peak" selling opportunity before economic reality (recession) sets in. SHORT. This is a contrarian fade of the war rally. The Strait of Hormuz remaining closed for an extended period; escalation involving Saudi oil fields.

Dubai stocks fell 4.5% (most since 2022). The editor notes, "Most of the losses came because of margin lending... it was led by leverage rather than geopolitical shock." The sell-off is technical (forced liquidation), not fundamental. Analysts are initiating coverage on UAE banks with price targets 80% higher, citing "low risk and high return" at these depressed levels. LONG. A classic "buy the panic" setup where price dislocation is driven by market mechanics (margin calls) rather than asset quality. Escalation of war leading to physical damage of Dubai infrastructure.