Oman
Inventory drawdowns mask impact of Hormuz disruption as clock runs down towards a September supply crunch
Global oil markets are relying heavily on inventory drawdowns to offset a supply shock caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with OECD stockpiles potentially reaching stress levels by mid-September if current trends persist, according to Oxf
US votes through new war powers act to try and halt Iran war
The US House just voted 215 to 208 to end the Iran war, by passing a new War Act, that is unlikely to have any impact on the Iran conflict as US President Donald Trump is widely expected to veto the motion.
_0_1780326589.jpg)
COMMENT: A new world of asymmetrical diplomacy
The world has changed in a very fundamental way. For most of the last century the world has been run on the lines of Great Power Geopolitics: them and us; the enlightened and the barbaric; the rich and the poor.
Iran launches vehicle transit through Jask, its strategic Gulf of Oman port
Oman clears cars for re-export to Iran following the UAE's decision to cut off Tehran from southern imports as tensions continue between Gulf neighbours.
Trump seeks tougher terms in revised Iran deal
Ceasefire and nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran have moved forward after US and Iranian negotiators drafted a new agreement, but President Donald Trump has sent the proposal back with tougher demands, with Iran to respond this week.
_0_1780057487.jpg)
Iran and Oman could legally charge for Hormuz passage against US wishes
A Yemeni journalist argues Iran and Oman could legally charge navigation service fees for Strait of Hormuz passage under UN maritime law, a prospect he says has angered Washington.
Global oil inventories falling at record pace, critical storage threshold about to be breached - IEA
Global oil inventories are declining at a record rate as the market absorbs a major Middle East supply disruption, raising the risk of sharp price increases if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, according to the International Energy Agency.
US and Iran near nuclear deal, US officials say agreement 95% done
The United States and Iran are within reach of a landmark nuclear agreement, with negotiators reporting that a framework deal is 95% complete, according to officials cited by Fox News on May 24.
_0_1779550990.jpg)
US and Iran near 60-day ceasefire extension with gradual Hormuz reopening
US and Iran are close to agreeing a 60-day ceasefire extension including gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Financial Times reports, as Pakistan's army chief leaves Tehran after productive talks.
Russia oil and gas revenues up 40% in May on Iran war pressures
Russia’s oil and gas revenues are expected to jump 39% year on year in May to about RUB700bn ($9.8bn), buoyed by higher global crude prices driven by the conflict involving Iran, according to Reuters calculations published on May 20.
Iran claims anti-radiation missiles blinded US destroyers in Hormuz during Operation Project Freedom clash
Claim and counter claim are flying between Washington and Tehran about what happened during the 48 hours that Operation Project Freedom was in effect. Iranian state media claims it used a sophisticated anti-radar missile to blind three US warships.
_2_1778493938.jpg)
Fitch raises 2026-27 oil and gas price assumptions on prolonged Hormuz closure
Fitch Ratings has raised its 2026-2027 oil and gas price assumptions on a longer Strait of Hormuz closure, assuming reopening around July, with Brent expected at USD100-110 per barrel through July before falling to USD70 by September.
Qatar resumes LNG shipments through Strait of Hormuz after 70-day wartime halt
Qatar has sent its first liquefied natural gas cargo through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the Iran war in late February, marking a tentative resumption of energy exports through the strait.
The Iran war exposes fiscal fragility around the world
The Iran war has arrived at the worst possible fiscal moment for most of the world's major economies. Governments spent heavily on Covid, defence and two energy crises. Fiscal space across most of the developed world is limited or exhausted.
US strikes Iran after destroyers come under fire in Hormuz, Project Freedom collapses
The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran came under its most severe test yet on May 8 as Iranian forces launched missiles, drones and fast-attack boats against three US Navy destroyers transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Russia’s oil revenues rebound on Middle East conflict price hike, but gains are modest
Russia’s oil and gas revenues rebounded sharply in April as surging crude prices linked to conflict in the Middle East boosted export earnings, offering the Kremlin temporary relief after months of mounting fiscal pressure.
Europe’s Russian Arctic LNG imports from Yamal hit record high in first four months of 2026
The EU imported more Russian Arctic liquefied natural gas in the first four months of 2026 than in any equivalent period since the Yamal LNG project began exporting in 2017, according to new analysis of Kpler shipping data.
Project Freedom fails and highlights Trump's weak hand
The White House launched Project Freedom on May 4, but US President Donald Trump cancelled it less than 48 hours later in a move that the Iranian press took as a failure and retreat.
COMMENT: Iran war’s geopolitical risks alone is not enough to cause a global recession
The geopolitical shocks of the Gulf war are dominating headlines and investor sentiment, but these shocks rarely act as the primary engine of global economic downturns, according to a note by Ben May of Oxford Economics.
Japan quietly resumes Russian oil imports as Hormuz crisis forces a pragmatic rethink
A cargo of Russian oil arrived in Japan for the first time since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as pragmatism overtakes principles in Tokyo.