US Markets Look Like a Bull Run, but the Hormuz Dependent Countries are Looking Down

As U.S. stock futures surge ahead of Monday’s open, signaling yet another leg higher for the major indices, energy markets tell a very different story. The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—following Iran’s recent declaration that the vital waterway is “completely open” during the ceasefire—has triggered a sharp plunge in oil prices. This is great […]

Continue Reading

Two Indian-flagged ships carrying Iraqi oil were struck. What does this mean for the oil, gas and LNG markets?

In a sharp escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf, two Indian-flagged vessels—one a VLCC supertanker carrying approximately 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude—were fired upon by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, 2026. The ships, identified as the Sanmar Herald and Jag Arnav, were forced to […]

Continue Reading

Tankers U-Turn as the IRGC Says Strait of Hormuz is Closed: What Happens Next is Anyone’s Guess and Price Volatility Looks to Be Short Term

In a fluid and confusing situation that has maritime operators on edge, several tankers and cargo vessels executed abrupt U-turns in the Strait of Hormuz over the past 48 hours after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) signaled a return to tight control of the waterway. While Iran’s foreign minister declared the strait “completely open” […]

Continue Reading

Oil Tankers and Traffic Test Hormuz Reopening

In a significant development for global energy markets, Iran announced today that the Strait of Hormuz is now “completely open” to commercial shipping for the remainder of the fragile ceasefire period tied to the Lebanon truce. The announcement, made by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, comes amid ongoing U.S. naval restrictions on vessels calling at […]

Continue Reading

Where are Oil and LNG Prices Heading? What are the second order impacts for consumers and investors?

The global energy markets are in flux as of mid-April 2026, shaped by severe disruptions from the ongoing Middle East conflict (centered on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz). This has curtailed roughly 7–10 mb/d of crude, NGLs, and refined product exports in March–April, triggering sharp price spikes and inventory draws. Brent crude averaged $103/bbl […]

Continue Reading

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz force us to reconsider material benefits of fossil fuels

ENB Pub Note: This article was originally posted on America Outloud by Ronald Stein and Yoshihiro Muronaka, and we highly recommend signing up and reading their material.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Recent calls for a more realistic shift from “decarbonization” to “low carbon” suggest that discomfort with ideology-driven climate policy is finally beginning to surface in public debate. […]

Continue Reading