{"id":60199,"date":"2026-03-26T08:38:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T12:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/iran-conflict-rattles-global-markets-fitch-warns-of-growth-slump-as-barrick-delays-mega-project\/60199\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T08:38:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T12:38:35","slug":"iran-conflict-rattles-global-markets-fitch-warns-of-growth-slump-as-barrick-delays-mega-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/iran-conflict-rattles-global-markets-fitch-warns-of-growth-slump-as-barrick-delays-mega-project\/60199\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran Conflict Rattles Global Markets: Fitch Warns of Growth Slump as Barrick Delays Mega-Project"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fitch Ratings warns that an adverse Iran war scenario could slash US growth to 1.5% and Eurozone growth to below 1% this year.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Barrick <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold-price.aspx\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold<\/a> (<a href=\"\/stock\/GOLD\">GOLD<\/a>) has officially delayed its multi-billion dollar Reko Diq mega-mine in Pakistan, citing regional instability caused by the Iran conflict.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Spot <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/silver-price.aspx\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"silver price today\">silver<\/a> prices plunged more than 5% to $67.54 per ounce, retreating from recent historic highs as market volatility intensifies.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that 30 countries are now in active discussions to secure and reopen critical sea lanes in the Middle East.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Western intelligence reports indicate Russia is preparing a shipment of kamikaze drones to Iran, signaling a deepening military alliance between Moscow and Tehran.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The escalating conflict in the Middle East has begun to take a significant toll on global economic projections and major industrial projects. <strong>Fitch Ratings<\/strong> released a grim &quot;Iran War Adverse Scenario&quot; report on Thursday, suggesting that the combination of rising oil prices and declining equity markets will create a sharply negative macroeconomic outlook. Under this stress-test scenario, <strong>Fitch<\/strong> projects that <strong>China\u2019s growth<\/strong> will fall below <strong>4%<\/strong>, while the <strong>United States<\/strong> and the <strong>Eurozone<\/strong> face even steeper slowdowns to <strong>1.5%<\/strong> and <strong>sub-1%<\/strong>, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>The mining sector is seeing the first major casualties of this regional instability. Barrick Gold (<a href=\"\/stock\/GOLD\">GOLD<\/a>) has announced a delay to its <strong>Reko Diq<\/strong> copper-gold project in Pakistan, a site previously considered one of the world&#39;s largest undeveloped deposits. <em>The delay highlights how the proximity of the Iran conflict is deterring long-term capital investment in the surrounding region<\/em>, as supply chains and security protocols are thrown into disarray.<\/p>\n<p>In the commodity markets, <strong>spot silver<\/strong> experienced a sharp correction, dropping over <strong>5%<\/strong> to <strong>$67.54<\/strong> per ounce. This follows a period of extreme volatility where the &quot;white metal&quot; had previously shattered the <strong>$100<\/strong> mark earlier in the year. <em>Traders appear to be reassessing the &quot;peace premium&quot; amid conflicting reports of potential ceasefire negotiations and a strengthening US Dollar Index.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Energy security remains a primary concern for global leaders. <strong>Russian President Vladimir Putin<\/strong> has advised a <strong>conservative strategy<\/strong> and caution regarding rising oil prices, even as <strong>Western intelligence<\/strong> reports that Moscow is nearing the completion of a shipment of <strong>kamikaze drones<\/strong> to bolster Tehran\u2019s military capabilities. Despite these tensions, the <strong>EU Commission<\/strong> maintains that there are currently no immediate problems with <strong>gas supply security<\/strong> in Europe.<\/p>\n<p>On the diplomatic and military front, <strong>NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte<\/strong> stated that <strong>30 countries<\/strong> are now coordinating efforts to keep global sea lanes open, specifically targeting the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>. This comes as the <strong>United States<\/strong> issued a firm denial of accusations that it attacked <strong>Iraqi security forces<\/strong>, labeling such claims &quot;categorically false.&quot; <em>The focus of the international coalition remains on preventing a total blockade of energy flows, which Fitch identifies as the most acute risk to growth in Korea, Japan, and the U.S.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Fitch Ratings warns that an adverse Iran war scenario could slash US growth to 1.5% and Eurozone growth 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