The expectation of military escalation offsets the positive outlook on troop withdrawal, and Trump's speech triggers a market turbulence.

Odaily Planet Daily reports: Trump delivered a rare prime-time nationwide televised address from the White House. He attempted to reassure Americans whose financial markets have been roiled by the war and whose political approval ratings have taken a hit, saying that the war with Iran is “very close” to the end. However, as Trump hinted that military action could escalate in the short term, international spot gold and silver prices kept plunging, while U.S. and Brent crude oil continued to climb. As of press time, spot gold is down more than 100 USD on the day, spot silver is down more than 3%, and both U.S. and Brent crude oil are up more than 5%. The speech highlighted the enormous pressure Trump faces: to clearly spell out the war’s objectives to the public, and to find an “exit route” for a conflict that has entered its fifth week and is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Notably, in some respects, this speech was more like mobilization at the start of a war than a summary a month after the war began. At present, the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for one-fifth of global seaborne oil, has been effectively sealed since the outbreak of hostilities, becoming the main economic pain point. Although Trump continues to insist that the energy shock will ease after the war, the government has not yet made clear how it will persuade Iran to restore navigation through the strait. (Jin10)