In this mid-March edition of The Pod of Gold, ABC Refinery’s Nicholas Frappell distills the escalating US-Iran conflict. This discussion moves beyond the initial market shock to explore why gold is currently behaving more like a risk asset than a safe haven.

Nick provides a high-level tactical analysis of the Middle Eastern theatre, from the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz to the potential for American "boots on the ground" at Kharg Island. The episode breaks down the energy supply shock—impacting everything from global chip production to fertilizer supplies—and why the markets may be dangerously "fading" these geopolitical risks.

Technical analysts will also find deep value in Nick’s breakdown of gold’s breach of the Daily Ichimoku Cloud and a Point & Figure target for Brent Crude that suggests the energy crisis is far from over.

📆 Recorded on Thursday 19th March 2026, this episode explores:

🕒 Timestamps:

• (00:00) – Introduction: Precious metals prices as of 19 March 2026.
• (01:09) – Geopolitical Realities: Analysing the widening downstream impacts of the Iran conflict.
• (03:22) – The Safe Haven Paradox: Why the US dollar is winning while gold retreats.
• (05:53) – Energy Mitigants: Pipelines, emergency reserves, and the "Tank Top" countdown.
• (08:00) – Military Dimensions: The USS Tripoli and the risk of American boots on Iranian soil.
• (09:32) – Positioning: Managed Money’s surprising caution in the face of high volatility.
• (10:46) – Brent Oil Forecasts: Technical targets as the energy shock intensifies.
• (11:51) – Technical Analysis: Gold’s first breach of the Daily Ichimoku Cloud since mid-2025.
• (14:40) – The End of the Carry Trade? Second-order effects of yen weakness and energy imports.
• (16:24) – Key Takeaways: Headline risk, the Macbeth quote, and the legacy of war.

🔗 More Resources:

• Visit: https://www.abcrefinery.com/podcast

• Follow Nick Frappell: https://twitter.com/nick_frappell

• Follow Shae Russell: https://twitter.com/shaearussell

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