Geopolitics 18 February 2026 - 2 March 2026

Critical Metals Stock Reacts as Tanbreez Deals Stir Up Rare-Earth Work and China Supply Risk
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Critical Metals Stock Reacts as Tanbreez Deals Stir Up Rare-Earth Work and China Supply Risk

Critical Metals Corp stayed at $10.75 in early U.S. premarket on Thursday. Nasdaq-listed shares had jumped 9.69% in the previous session as investors digested new supply headlines from Tanbreez and a late filing that clarified disclosures on the company’s rare earth play in Greenland. Nasdaq regular hours were yet to start at the time. The Tanbreez move lands squarely in heavy rare earth elements, or HREEs, one of the market’s key hot spots right now. These less common rare earths show up in high-performance magnets, advanced electronics and defence gear. Western buyers are still facing risk from China’s export controls, with Reuters saying this week that Beijing’s rare earth export rules are still in force, even as U.S.-China talks continue.
May 21, 2026
Wall Street hit by Iran strikes: Dow futures slide, oil spikes, defense stocks surge
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Wall Street hit by Iran strikes: Dow futures slide, oil spikes, defense stocks surge

U.S. stock index futures fell Monday, with oil prices jumping after U.S.-Israeli strikes hit Iran over the weekend. Tehran fired back, prompting investors to retreat to safety. Dow E-minis slid 508 points, or 1.04%, as of 5:42 a.m. ET. S&P 500 E-minis lost 0.97%, with Nasdaq 100 E-minis down 1.36%. The CBOE Volatility Index shot up to 23.2, its highest mark in three months. “There is plenty of scope for more downside,” IG’s Chris Beauchamp commented. Over at Wells Fargo, strategist Ohsung Kwon sees the S&P 500 possibly dropping to 6,000 if crude prices break above $100 in a worst-case scenario.
March 2, 2026
Gold price jumps near one-month high above $5,200 as Iran talks drag into weekend
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Gold price jumps near one-month high above $5,200 as Iran talks drag into weekend

New York, Feb 27, 2026, 17:14 — Trading after the bell Gold pushed up to its highest level in nearly a month on Friday, with spot prices climbing 0.8% to $5,230.56 an ounce. U.S. April futures settled even stronger, up 1% at $5,247.90. That's a 7.6% rally for bullion so far in February, on track for a seventh consecutive monthly advance. Headlines from the U.S.-Iran negotiations, along with falling U.S. yields, have fueled what Blue Line Futures strategist Phillip Streible calls “a flight to safety” through “risk-off” flows. Spot silver surged 4.8%; platinum rose 3.4%, but palladium slipped 0.5%.
February 28, 2026
Gold price today jumps near one-month high as geopolitics, falling yields lift bullion
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Gold price today jumps near one-month high as geopolitics, falling yields lift bullion

New York, February 27, 2026, 12:38 — Regular session Gold climbed near its highest level in a month on Friday, helped along by ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions and a drop in U.S. yields that reignited late-February interest in bullion. By 11:31 a.m. ET, spot prices had gained 1% to reach $5,238.75 an ounce. April U.S. gold futures were up 1.1%, hitting $5,254.
February 27, 2026
Chevron’s Iraq oilfield gamble: one-year exclusive talks for West Qurna 2 after Lukoil sanctions
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Chevron’s Iraq oilfield gamble: one-year exclusive talks for West Qurna 2 after Lukoil sanctions

BAGHDAD, February 25, 2026, 11:00 Chevron has locked in a year-long window to hammer out a potential deal with Iraq on the West Qurna 2 oilfield, after sanctions pressured Russia’s Lukoil out of the picture. The U.S. oil giant confirmed it’s talking with state-run Basra Oil Company, with both sides set to swap confidential information. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chevron-basra-oil-co-exchange-data-enter-exclusive-talks-over-west-qurna-2-2026-02-23/
February 25, 2026
Oil price today: Brent hits six-month high as U.S.-Iran tensions and EIA stock draw lift crude
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Oil price today: Brent hits six-month high as U.S.-Iran tensions and EIA stock draw lift crude

NEW YORK, February 19, 2026, 14:11 — Regular session Crude oil jumped about 2% on Thursday, reaching six-month highs as traders weighed the risk that U.S.-Iran friction could disrupt supplies. Brent futures were up $1.25, or 1.8%, at $71.60 a barrel as of 1:29 p.m. EST. U.S. West Texas Intermediate added $1.22, or 1.9%, hitting $66.41. Both contracts headed for their strongest settles since late July and early August. Andrew Lipow, president at Lipow Oil Associates, pointed to “geopolitical tensions and the worry that the U.S. is going to strike in the near future” as key factors. Iran’s brief closure of the Strait of Hormuz for drills, plus plans for naval exercises with Russia, have kept nerves rattled. President Donald
February 19, 2026
Oil prices jump to six-month high as Iran tensions flare and U.S. stocks slide
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Oil prices jump to six-month high as Iran tensions flare and U.S. stocks slide

New York, Feb 19, 2026, 13:59 EST — Regular session Oil climbed roughly 2% Thursday, pushing both Brent and U.S. West Texas Intermediate to six-month peaks as traders zeroed in on mounting U.S.-Iran tensions. Brent futures advanced $1.25, or 1.8%, to hit $71.60 a barrel at 1:29 p.m. EST. WTI moved up $1.22, or 1.9%, to $66.41. “The market will continue to rally in anticipation of something happening,” said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates.
February 19, 2026
Gold price holds above $5,000 as US-Iran tensions collide with Fed inflation test
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Gold price holds above $5,000 as US-Iran tensions collide with Fed inflation test

New York, Feb 19, 2026, 12:31 EST — Regular session Spot gold edged up 0.6% to $5,007.46 an ounce as of 11:14 a.m. EST. U.S. gold futures for April ticked 0.3% higher, landing at $5,025.80. Investors kept an eye on U.S.-Iran tensions, a steeper-than-expected fall in weekly U.S. jobless claims, and the inflation report just ahead, all lending support to the metal. “We’re being whipsawed and moving sideways with volatility,” said Daniel Pavilonis, senior market strategist at RJO Futures. He still sees the potential for “one more leg down.”
February 19, 2026
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