Calmer on the surface, cracks beneath

Financial markets have been on a geopolitical rollercoaster in recent days. The Iran–Israel flare-up briefly sent oil prices surging and risk assets tumbling, but tensions have since eased and market conditions have stabilised. That calm has refocused attention on underlying fundamentals—and the signals are mixed. In our charts this week we focus on:

• Global business cycle indicators
• South Korea's trade
• Consumer confidence in the US and Europe
• Disinflation progress in advanced economies
• Gold and Bitcoin prices
• Global electricity generation