Key PointsIran war uncertainties are threatening to disrupt a persistently strong rally in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite.
Key PointsIran war uncertainties are threatening to disrupt a persistently strong rally in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite.
US President Donald Trump ’s plan for a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to deepen an already unprecedented crisis in one of the world’s most important energy-producing regions. The narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the wider world has become a flashpoint since US and Israel began strikes on Iran six weeks ago. Tehran tightened its grip on the corridor in response...
US President Donald Trump ’s plan for a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to deepen an already unprecedented crisis in one of the world’s most important energy-producing regions. The narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the wider world has become a flashpoint since US and Israel began strikes on Iran six weeks ago. Tehran tightened its grip on the corridor in response, all but closing off a vital thoroughfare. A full blockade could halt the remaining flows and threaten economies far beyond the Middle East. Transits have dwindled to single digits a day, down from about 135 in peacetime. A US naval blockade along the lines of what was carried out off Venezuela from the end of last year could reduce that to zero, pressuring Iran but also cutting off a vital source of supply for Asian nations. It would also likely doom an already fragile ceasefire agreed last week. What’s far less clear is how such a blockade would work in practice — or whether Washington is prepared to bear the risks of enforcing it. Here’s what we know so far. What exactly is the US threatening to do? Hours after peace talks in Islamabad fell apart on Sunday, Trump posted on social media that “effective immediately” the US Navy would blockade “any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.” He added other countries would participate, without naming any. He threatened to “interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran,” implying the US could impose its blockade widely, well beyond the strait and even the waters of the Gulf of Oman. The US military separately issued a more narrow interpretation, setting a start of Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time for the blockade. It applies to all vessels “entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas,” adding that freedom of navigation through the corridor would not be impeded. Seafarers are advised to monitor official broadcasts and contact US naval forces when in the Gulf of Oman an...
A mainland Chinese woman has been acquitted of forging academic qualifications in her application for Hong Kong’s talent scheme, with the judge saying she could have been defrauded by her agent during the process. Xu Lina, 36, was cleared of any charges at Sha Tin Court on Monday after Magistrate Raymond Wong Kwok-fai said the defendant might have been negligent in failing to check her application...
A mainland Chinese woman has been acquitted of forging academic qualifications in her application for Hong Kong’s talent scheme, with the judge saying she could have been defrauded by her agent during the process. Xu Lina, 36, was cleared of any charges at Sha Tin Court on Monday after Magistrate Raymond Wong Kwok-fai said the defendant might have been negligent in failing to check her application form before submitting it to the Immigration Department, but her actions did not amount to...
A mega-dam in Tibet must make ecological integrity and safety a priority, Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing said during a visit to the project. The dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo will be the world’s largest hydropower facility and it is a key element of China’s plans to exploit the potential of the Tibetan Plateau by boosting regional growth through green energy and infrastructure. India has frequent...
A mega-dam in Tibet must make ecological integrity and safety a priority, Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing said during a visit to the project. The dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo will be the world’s largest hydropower facility and it is a key element of China’s plans to exploit the potential of the Tibetan Plateau by boosting regional growth through green energy and infrastructure. India has frequently expressed concerns that the project could lead to water shortages and ecological damage...
London ( UKX ) -0.40% to 10,557. The British pound traded at $1.341, slipping from last week’s one-month high of $1.348. Germany ( DAX:IND ) -0.94% to 23,581. France ( CAC:IND ) -1.00% to 8,176. In other parts of Europe, Finland posted a current account deficit of €249M in February. The Netherlands’ trade surplus widened to €9.9B in February. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ( STOXX) traded 0.68% lower ...
London ( UKX ) -0.40% to 10,557. The British pound traded at $1.341, slipping from last week’s one-month high of $1.348. Germany ( DAX:IND ) -0.94% to 23,581. France ( CAC:IND ) -1.00% to 8,176. In other parts of Europe, Finland posted a current account deficit of €249M in February. The Netherlands’ trade surplus widened to €9.9B in February. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ( STOXX) traded 0.68% lower to 610.6, as risk aversion intensified after U.S.–Iran peace talks collapsed and Washington announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In the bond market, the yield on the US 10-year Treasury was down 2 basis points to 4.33%. UK's 10-year yield was up 1 basis point to 4.85%. Germany's 10-year yield was up 1 basis point to 3.06%. Currencies: ( EUR:USD ) ( GBP:USD ) ( CHF:USD ) ETFs: (NYSEARCA: EWG ), (NYSE: GF ), (NYSEARCA: EWI ), (NYSEARCA: EWQ ), (NASDAQ: FGM ), (NASDAQ: DAX ), (NYSEARCA: FLGR ), (NYSEARCA: FXB ), (NYSEARCA: EWU ), (NASDAQ: FKU ), (BATS: EWUS ), (NYSEARCA: FLGB ), (NYSEARCA: GREK ) More on Europe The Petrodollar Trade Is Over, Dollar Tumbles - EUR/USD, AUD/USD And Dollar Index Overview CEF Insights: New Germany Fund For European Growth Opportunities Euro Comes Out Swinging: Can The 'Trump Reversal' Sustain EUR/USD's Upside Bias? European markets subdued as oil surge clouds outlook Germany's inflation touches highest level since January 2024