{"id":65133,"date":"2026-07-21T03:38:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T07:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-react-to-middle-east-escalation-and-lse-24-hour-trading-pivot\/65133\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T03:38:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T07:38:20","slug":"global-markets-react-to-middle-east-escalation-and-lse-24-hour-trading-pivot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-react-to-middle-east-escalation-and-lse-24-hour-trading-pivot\/65133\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Markets React to Middle East Escalation and LSE 24-Hour Trading Pivot"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold prices<\/a> surged nearly 2% to $4,080.19\/oz<\/strong> as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East intensified following reports of Iranian drone strikes on U.S. military assets in <strong>Bahrain<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>London Stock Exchange Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/LSEG\">LSEG<\/a>)<\/strong> announced the launch of <strong>&quot;LSE 24,&quot;<\/strong> a new venue providing <strong>24\/5 trading<\/strong> for exchange-traded products (ETPs) starting in H1 2027 to compete with around-the-clock crypto platforms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Taiwan<\/strong> is set to conduct unprecedented civil defense drills in August, which will include <strong>simulated 30-minute mobile internet disruptions<\/strong> across 14 regions to prepare for potential conflict with China.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Norway\u2019s June oil output<\/strong> reached <strong>1.827 million barrels per day<\/strong>, exceeding official forecasts by 3% and reinforcing its position as Europe\u2019s most reliable energy supplier.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Switzerland\u2019s M3 Money Supply<\/strong> growth slowed to <strong>3.6% YoY in June<\/strong>, down from 4.5% in May, signaling a tightening of liquidity within the Swiss economy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<h2>Geopolitical Tensions Drive Safe-Haven Demand<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Spot gold<\/strong> advanced nearly <strong>2% to $4,080.19 per ounce<\/strong> on Tuesday, recovering from a recent dip as investors sought safety amid a sharp escalation in the Middle East. The rally follows reports from Iranian state media that the <strong>Iranian Army<\/strong> targeted U.S. military lodging and fuel storage at the <strong>Sheikh Isa Air Base<\/strong> in Bahrain using attack drones. This military action, part of &quot;Operation Saeqeh,&quot; has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict, directly impacting inflation expectations and global risk appetite.<\/p>\n<h2>LSEG Pivots to 24-Hour Trading Model<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>London Stock Exchange Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/LSEG\">LSEG<\/a>)<\/strong> has unveiled plans for <strong>LSE 24<\/strong>, a dedicated venue designed to offer <strong>near-continuous trading<\/strong> from Monday to Friday. Set for a <strong>H1 2027 launch<\/strong>, the platform will initially focus on <strong>Exchange Traded Products (ETPs)<\/strong>, allowing global investors\u2014particularly those in Asia\u2014to trade UK and global assets outside traditional London hours. The move is a strategic response to the growing dominance of 24\/7 crypto exchanges and similar extended-hours initiatives by the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/exchanges\/nyse\/today\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"NYSE Today\">NYSE<\/a><\/strong> and <strong>Nasdaq<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Taiwan Bolsters Communication Resilience<\/h2>\n<p>In a significant shift in civil defense strategy, <strong>Taiwan<\/strong> will deliberately slow or suspend <strong>mobile internet services<\/strong> for 30 minutes during its annual drills in August. The exercise, covering 14 cities and counties housing <strong>70% of the population<\/strong>, aims to test how citizens manage communications during a simulated blockade or invasion. While fixed-line networks will remain active, mobile users will be restricted to <strong>voice calls and SMS<\/strong>, highlighting Taipei&#39;s focus on &quot;compound disaster&quot; preparedness.<\/p>\n<h2>Energy and Macroeconomic Indicators<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Norway<\/strong> reported preliminary June <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">crude oil<\/a> production of <strong>1.827 million barrels per day<\/strong>, outperforming the Norwegian Offshore Directorate&#39;s forecasts. This steady output comes at a critical time as global oil markets face potential volatility from the <strong>US-Iran conflict<\/strong>. Meanwhile, in the Eurozone, the <strong>European Commission<\/strong> granted approval for <strong>Crysvita (burosumab)<\/strong>, developed by <strong>Kyowa Kirin (<a href=\"\/stock\/4151\">4151<\/a>)<\/strong>, for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphataemia in infants, expanding the drug&#39;s market reach.<\/p>\n<p>In Switzerland, the <strong>Swiss National Bank (SNB)<\/strong> reported that the <strong>M3 Money Supply<\/strong> grew by <strong>3.6%<\/strong> year-over-year in June. This deceleration from the <strong>4.5%<\/strong> recorded in May suggests a cooling of liquidity, which macro analysts suggest could influence the <strong>Swiss Franc&#39;s (CHF)<\/strong> trajectory and the SNB&#39;s future stance on price stability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Gold prices surged nearly 2% to $4,080.19\/oz as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East intensified following reports of 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