April 17, 2026

Episode 118 | Middle East conflict: evolving dynamics, investment takeaways

28 minutes

Episode overview

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, hosts Kevin Headland and Macan Nia continue their timely dialogue around the geopolitical turmoil impacting today’s markets. Now entering its 40th day (at the time of this recording), the ongoing conflict in the Middle East still commands center stage, so Kevin and Macan discuss how it’s feeding through to energy prices, market volatility, and investor behavior.

They examine why markets opened 2026 “priced for perfection” (leaving little margin for error), how the current oil price shock compares with 2022’s macro environment (with important differences in inflation and interest-rate starting points), and why recent equity valuation compression—particularly in the technology sector—may be creating select opportunities for investors.

Key topics & insights

1. Oil: the conflict’s key transmission channel

“Higher-for-longer” oil price risk: Even if the Middle East conflict resolves, Kevin and Macan suggest that oil prices may remain structurally higher than pre-conflict levels due to supply impairment and perhaps an ongoing geopolitical risk premium.

Tracking evolving dynamics: These could include higher shipping insurance rates and even increased transit/toll-like costs tied to safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz—factors that can embed into oil prices beyond an immediate shock.

Macroeconomic watchpoints: One of the critical questions still facing economists and investors alike is how higher energy prices might affect global growth rates, the likelihood of a slowdown or recession, and broader inflation levels.

2. Market volatility regime shift (not capitulation)

More choppiness in less time: Since the Middle East conflict began, Kevin and Macan have observed a sharp rise in large daily moves by the S&P 500 Index (+/- 1% days), underscoring the reality of a more “headline-driven” market environment.

Putting the “fear gauge” in context: While they note the VIX moving up (near ~30 at points), they emphasize that a VIX >30 is historically infrequent and that >40 has typically signaled peak fear levels, seen only in major crisis-type episodes.

Markets reacting to ceasefire signals: They describe a “buy-the-dip” tendency where markets rally quickly on any perceived positive news, potentially reflecting underlying market resilience (but also risk if the conflict escalates from here).

3. 2022 comparisons: what’s similar vs. what’s different

The main similarity: Today’s geopolitical tensions have pushed oil prices higher, combined with below-trend economic growth and still-sticky overall inflation.

A key difference: The starting point for interest rates and bond yields is different now than in early 2022, which affects both bond math and the policy backdrop.

Inflation framing (“three Cs”): Today’s inflation setup isn’t a direct replay of recent history, which was marked by multiple years of persistently elevated inflation.

4. Valuations: technology reset, select opportunities

Technology premium compressed: Kevin and Macan highlight that the NASDAQ Composite Index’s forward price/earnings (P/E) premium vs. the S&P 500 Index has narrowed considerably, reflecting a meaningful valuation reset in recent months.

“Better earnings for a cheaper price”: The market’s price (“P”) has come down, while earnings expectations (“E”) have been more resilient, implying that there may now be improved value and select opportunities in some areas of the market.

Not all tech is created equal: It’s important to break the broad technology sector down into its subsectors (semis, hardware, software/services) in an effort to identify potential winners, rather than just buying tech stocks indiscriminately.

Actionable takeaways for Canadian investors

Treat volatility as part of the process, not a trigger to abandon it: With markets potentially “priced for perfection,” geopolitical and other surprises can spur outsized moves, so portfolios should be diversified and built to withstand volatility.

Focus on the path of oil prices (level + duration): The big risk with regard to oil prices is not necessarily a short-term (e.g., one-week) spike, but rather a more sustained rise that filters into broader inflation expectations and economic growth.

If sitting on cash, consider staged reentry into the market: Market uncertainty and volatility can potentially be harnessed to an investor’s advantage, as they may spawn attractive opportunities to redeploy some idle cash back into the market.

Reassess fixed income with today’s yield cushion in mind: A bond’s total return consists of both price appreciation and yield.Starting yields are higher today than in 2022, and price volatility may be offset over time by the income (yield) component.

Selectively look for valuation-driven opportunities (especially in tech): Broad market sell-offs can sometimes leave no stocks unpunished, potentially offering opportunities to selectively buy high-quality companies at cheaper valuations.

Links & Resources

Listen to the episode:Investments Unplugged Podcast

Learn more about Manulife Investments:Manulife IM Canada

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For informational purposes only. This episode does not constitute investment advice. Please consult a qualified advisor before making investment decisions

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By Macan Nia, Kevin Headland

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