Markets have remained notably risk-on in 2026, even as geopolitical fragmentation, energy chokepoints and intensifying U.S.-China competition continue to raise the stakes for investors and businesses. In this episode of J.P. Morgan’s Making Sense, Joyce Chang, chair of Global Research at J.P. Morgan, is joined by Paul Haenle, head of APAC Policy and Strategic Competitiveness at J.P. Morgan, and Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to unpack how the Middle East conflict could continue to unfold — and what elevated geopolitical risk means for global markets. They discuss the strategic objectives and end states of the conflict, how ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb could impact global oil and LNG flows, as well as how China weighs the risks of instability against the opportunities of U.S. distraction. The conversation also looks ahead to the September U.S.-China summit and explores how AI competition is reshaping the relationship between the world’s two largest economies.

This episode was recorded on July 22, 2026.

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