Oil prices surged on Monday (13 April) as the U.S. moved to impose a blockade on Iranian shipping after the collapse of weekend peace talks, while the dollar rose and stocks and bonds fell.
The U.S. move, aimed at putting pressure on Tehran, leaves a fragile ceasefire hanging in the balance and no end in sight to the choke on Middle East energy exports- though the mood on trading floors leaned toward hoping for a resolution.
Brent crude futures were up 7.3% at $102 a barrel- a gain of more than 40% since the war shut navigation of the Strait of Hormuz.
S&P 500 futures were down 0.7% through the Asia day and European futures STXec1 fell 1.4%.
U.S. Treasuries and bonds around Asia traded lower, with Japan's benchmark 10-year yield hitting a 29-year high of 2.49%, though moves were relatively modest and took most assets to roughly where they sat before last week's ceasefire.
"The market is now largely back to conditions before the ceasefire, except now the U.S. will block the remaining up to (2 million barrels) Iranian-linked flows through the Strait of Hormuz as well," said MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic.
"The key remaining question is if the U.S. renews strikes on Iran, raising the risk of strikes on energy infrastructure across the region which could have a further lasting impact beyond the duration of the war."
The Wall Street Journal reported President Donald Trump and his advisers were weighing limited strikes on Iran, though there were no immediate reports of attacks in the Asia day.
Trump said on Sunday that the price of oil and gasoline may remain high into the midterm elections in the U.S. in November, a rare acknowledgement of the potential political fallout from the war.
In foreign exchange trade the euro fell about 0.3% to $1.1687 and risk-sensitive currencies such as the Australian dollar slipped a little further.
Equity benchmarks from Hong Kong to Tokyo, Seoul and Sydney dropped around 1%.
"The market is saying that it doesn't believe Trump is going to strike more military assets or take over the Strait of Hormuz," said Russel Chesler, head of investments and capital markets at VanEck in Sydney.
However, he added, there were growing worries about inflation, which would intensify the longer the oil shock lasts.
With inflation fears reviving, investors are now bracing for central banks, such as the European Central Bank and Bank of England, tilting towards raising rates in a sharp reversal from pre-war bets on rate cuts or a prolonged pause.
The outlook is especially delicate in Japan, where traders expect rates to keep rising in the medium term but are cooling on the prospect of a hike this month while markets are volatile.
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Oil prices rose sharply on Monday as fears deepened over potential supply shortages caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, unsettling global energy markets and the row over the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns for consumers and businesses alike.
European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels on 19–20 March for a high-stakes summit shaped largely by external geopolitical shocks, with surging energy prices and a stalled €90 billion loan to Ukraine emerging as the dominant issues.
Oil prices fell below the key $70 per barrel mark last week as increased output from OPEC+ eased supply concerns, while renewed U.S. tariff threats under President Donald Trump weighed on global demand expectations.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
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Israel said it struck military targets in western and central Iran on Monday, even after U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from further attacks.
Sirens rang out across multiple areas of Israel on Sunday night after missiles were launched from Iran towards the country, the Israeli military said. Earlier, Tehran's top negotiator in talks with the U.S. threatened to target Israeli and American assets in the region, after Israel struck Beirut.
U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “crazy” during a phone exchange over fighting in Lebanon. The call came as the U.S. was attempting to broker an end to hostilities involving Iran.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Monday they targeted the source of an attack on a telecom facility on Sirik Island near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Tasnim News Agency reported.
Iran really wanted to make a deal with the U.S. and that it would be a good one for Washington and its allies, President Donald Trump said on Monday.
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