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Yesterday, a U.S. airstrike killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, leader of the foreign wing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. News of the strike and the general’s death sent safe-haven asset prices higher as investors priced in greater risk in the Middle East.

Assets such as gold and the 10-year U.S. Treasury note saw their prices rise as investor sentiment weakened. Gold was up 1.4% while the 10-year was at 1.827% Friday morning from 1.880% on Thursday (a drop in yield reflects an increase in price), while DJIA futures were down 226 pts pre-open.

Is this a New Year’s prediction of what’s ahead? Of course not. But it is absolutely a micro-example of how assets react when uncertainty abounds. My advice to you: Make sure you’re prepared for unforeseen events that may rip through your portfolio in times of trouble.

Originally posted on Your Survival Guy.