Inflation is, by definition, a lagging statistic. By the time official CPI prints confirm that price pressures are rising or easing, markets have already spent weeks, often months or even years, trying to anticipate that outcome. That is why fixed income investors spend so much time on market-based measures of inflation expectations. They are imperfect, but they offer a forward-looking view of where inflation is expected to settle across different horizons. So before asking what inflation means for markets today, it is worth starting with how those expectations are measured, and how they help investors and policymakers judge the appropriate central bank response.

The strikes in Iran and across the Middle East carry severe human consequences for the region. For the markets, the key question concerns the potential impact on oil prices, inflation, growth and asset pricing.

Globally, yields on high-quality assets feel thin once adjusted for inflation and tax. Corporate balance sheets look sound, yet spreads are tight and carry is limited. Under such circumstances, emerging market debt offers a clear payoff profile. There is income and promising potential for capital gains through policy easing, currency strength, and credit improvement. The asset class is broader and deeper than a decade ago, with stronger institutions in many countries and a larger local investor base. That mix supports resilience through shocks.