Investors are dashing for cover today as tensions in the Middle East escalate – rattling markets and sending asset prices swinging wildly. Gold hit a seven-year high, and oil spiked back over $ per barrel, after (Iran) ****************************************** (launched a missile attack on two US military bases in Iraq.) ****************************************The attack, which began at 1. am local time on Wednesday, is Tehran’s first retaliation to the death of general Qassem Soleimani in a US drone attack last week.More than a dozen missiles were fired, which Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, described as “proportionate measures in self-defense”. No casualties have been reported yet, but the situation is still unclear.The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared: (******************************************(********************************“The brave soldiers of IRGC’s aerospace unit have launched a successful attack with tens of ballistic missiles on the al-Asad military base in the name of martyr General Qassem Suleimani. ” (**********************************************though Donald Trump swiftly tweeted that “all is well” , the markets fear further escalation between the two sides. The sad news thata Ukranian passenger jet had crashed leaving Tehran Airportwill also weigh on the aviation sector, although it does not appear linked to the Iranian missile attack.Investors dashed for save-haven assets, driving gold over $ 1, 600 per barrel for the first time sine . Fears of oil supply disruption from the Gulf region sent Brent crude spiking up to $ (******************************************************************************************************************************. ****************************************************************************************************************************, a new four-month high, although prices have subsided a little since. Asia-Pacific equity markets are also spooked, with Japan’s Nikkei down 1.5% and China’s CSI 376 shedding 1.2%. European markets are set to fall, with Germany’s DAX seen down 1%.(****************************************** IGSquawk****************(@ IGSquawk)(European Opening Calls:) ************************************************ (# FTSE) (-0.) ************************************************************************************************************************************ (%) ********************************************** (# DAX) **************************************** -1. (%) ************************************************** (# CAC) ****************************************** (%) ************************************************** (# AEX) **************************************** (-0.) ************************************************************************************************************************** % (# MIB)************************************************************************************************************* (%) **************************************************** (# IBEX) ****************************************** (%) # STOXX. **************************************************************************************************************** (%) (January 8,******************************************** (************************************************************************ (Nigel Green) , CEO of financial advisory firmdeVere Group (****************************************, says the crisis is worrying investors as they can’t predict the next moves – how will Trump respond to Iran’s retaliation? (******************************************(********************************
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