live U.S.-Iran standoff continues as Hormuz shipping and diplomacy remain uncertain
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to res...
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting to address the worsening global market situation amid the collapse of energy and commodity prices on global markets due to tariff conflicts, the presidential press service said.
At the meeting, attended by the Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, the Governor of the National Bank Timur Suleimenov, and other senior officials, President Tokayev instructed to accelerate drafting the government's plan of action to address the financial and economic crisis, with aim to prevent economic slowdown and a decline in investment flows.
"The President emphasized that, despite the challenging economic conditions, the priorities he outlined for the country's development—such as major infrastructure projects, digitalization, the advancement of artificial intelligence, and the modernization of agriculture and the transport and logistics sectors—will still be implemented," - president's press service reported.
President Tokayev is expected to convene a special meeting on this matter next week.
On Wednesday, Serik Zhumangarin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, said that Kazakhstan’s government was assessing various scenarios in response to potential fluctuations in oil prices.
““We have three development scenarios. Currently, we are approaching the pessimistic scenario with oil prices at $60 per barrel. This week, we began calculations for scenarios involving prices dropping to $55 and $50 per barrel," - said Zhumangarin and added that the government had "clear understanding on what needs to be cut and what should remain unaffected."
The Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of infrastructure development and job creation during a crisis.
He suggested that the state may once again turn to the National Fund, stating, “the National Fund was created for such situations, particularly during times of crisis."
Brent oil prices reached a four-year low on Wednesday, falling below $60 per barrel, after standing at approximately $75 at the beginning of April.
The sharp decline in oil prices, attributed to tensions surrounding U.S. tariff decisions, resulted in a day-on-day drop of around 2.3% on Wednesday and a 20% decrease since early April.
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
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