• Gold price down Amid the Israeli-Iranian conflict, equity markets appear to be showing resilience for now. European stocks were up early yesterday, Asian stocks were mixed, and futures showed the S&P 500 index had returned to the 6,000-point mark, just about 2% below its record high in February. However, there are three ways the Middle East conflict could negatively impact equity markets, says Lori Calvasina, head of U.S. equity research at RBC Capital Markets, as quoted by marketwatch.com.