By Chris Berry (@cberry1)
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Amidst the once in a lifetime events we’ve endured in recent weeks, the simultaneous crash in prices across asset classes is one of the most notable. The US Dollar has been the singular beneficiary of the volatility and the worsening COVID-19 pandemic. Extreme levels of fear in financial markets indicate that this is likely to continue. The breathtaking collapse in the oil price, ignited by the desire of the Saudis and Russians to control the oil price and wipe out US shale, is also indicative of stagnant growth in the global economy. It remains to be seen if lower oil prices really are the “tax cut” consumers receive via lower gasoline prices given the sudden stop in the global economy.
This geopolitical tussle is an important one as the oil price, perhaps one of the most watched metrics in the world,