The European Market Brief 22: Throw Out The Old Conflict Playbook

Is the traditional geopolitical risk playbook dead? In this episode of The European Market Brief, Mark Longo is joined by Morad Askar, Founder of EdgeClear, and Matt Koren, Equity and Index Derivatives Sales and Global VSTOXX Lead at Eurex, to dissect the unprecedented market activity following recent escalations in the Middle East. While the "old playbook" suggests a flight to quality in gold and a spike in oil, the recent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has sent the markets into a tailspin of "trade the tweet" volatility that defied standard expectations. The team explores why European derivatives—particularly VSTOXX and EURO STOXX 50—saw volumes surge to 2x their annual average, and why the "buy the dip" mentality is being tested like never before. Topics covered include: The Volatility Regime: Why VSTOXX hit levels near 35 while VIX lagged behind. The Transatlantic Spread: How energy dependency makes European markets more vulnerable to Middle East conflict than the US. Retail vs. Institutional Flow: The shift toward order book liquidity and the rise of daily options in Europe. Risk Management: Why "holding through the weekend" has become a dangerous game for professional traders in a 24/7 news cycle. Whether you're trading DAX, Bunds, or looking for cross-border volatility opportunities, this episode provides the "new" rules for an evolving, headline-driven market.