Geopolitics 19 February 2026 - 9 March 2026

Oil Nears $120 as Iran War Hammers KOSPI, Asian Stocks and Wall Street
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Oil Nears $120 as Iran War Hammers KOSPI, Asian Stocks and Wall Street

Oil prices jumped to $119.50 a barrel Monday as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran disrupted Gulf supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Stocks tumbled worldwide; Seoul's KOSPI fell 8.8%, and Europe's STOXX 600 dropped 1.8%. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain slashed output. Hundreds of tankers idled near Hormuz, and airline fares soared as jet fuel costs spiked.
March 9, 2026
Oil Tops $100 for First Time Since 2022 as Iran War Cuts Supply, G7 Weighs Reserve Release
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Oil Tops $100 for First Time Since 2022 as Iran War Cuts Supply, G7 Weighs Reserve Release

Brent crude surged to $119.50 a barrel Monday as the Iran war disrupted Gulf oil flows, forcing Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait to cut output and leaving tankers stranded at the Strait of Hormuz. Central banks shifted rate expectations amid inflation fears. Governments considered releasing emergency reserves. Airline shares dropped as jet fuel prices soared.
March 9, 2026
Exxon Mobil’s rare Australia gasoline shipment shows how the Strait of Hormuz shock is rewriting fuel trade
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Exxon Mobil’s rare Australia gasoline shipment shows how the Strait of Hormuz shock is rewriting fuel trade

Exxon Mobil has booked two tankers to ship about 600,000 barrels of gasoline from Houston to Australia in mid-March, sources said, marking a rare U.S. Gulf-to-Australia cargo. The move follows disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz that have stalled oil and LNG shipments, driving up Brent crude by 5% to $85.49 a barrel and pushing Singapore refining margins to nearly $30. Hundreds of tankers remain stranded off Gulf producers.
March 5, 2026
Oil prices jump on Iran war as Hormuz logjam lifts Brent above $84, WTI near $79
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Oil prices jump on Iran war as Hormuz logjam lifts Brent above $84, WTI near $79

Oil prices surged over 3% Thursday as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz for a fifth day, stranding about 200 tankers and cutting Iraq’s output by 1.5 million barrels per day. Brent rose to $84.32 a barrel, WTI to $79.06. Qatar declared force majeure on LNG exports. Goldman Sachs raised its Brent forecast by $10, warning a price spike could slow global growth.
March 5, 2026
Dollar back in favor as Iran war jolts energy prices and flips euro bets
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Dollar back in favor as Iran war jolts energy prices and flips euro bets

Options traders pushed the euro to its weakest in over a year as Europe’s energy crisis deepened and the Iran war lifted oil prices. The dollar index touched its highest since November before easing 0.3% to 98.83 Wednesday, while the euro rose 0.2% to $1.1632. Funds cut short-dollar trades, and strategists warned of a potential funding squeeze if demand for dollars intensifies.
March 5, 2026
Iran war rattles oil, gold and stocks again as Seoul crashes and Wall Street hunts for an off‑ramp
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Iran war rattles oil, gold and stocks again as Seoul crashes and Wall Street hunts for an off‑ramp

South Korea’s KOSPI closed down 12% Wednesday, triggering circuit breakers, as Asian stocks fell and Brent crude held at $83.76 a barrel amid Iran conflict fears. Gold rebounded 1.5% to $5,155 an ounce. U.S. futures steadied after reports of indirect Iran-U.S. outreach, while Europe’s STOXX 600 gained 0.6%. Samsung and SK Hynix shares each dropped about 20% this week.
March 4, 2026
Oil nears $85 as Hormuz crisis drags on and stocks slide again
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Oil nears $85 as Hormuz crisis drags on and stocks slide again

Brent crude rose 3.3% to $84.07 a barrel as fighting in the Strait of Hormuz disrupted oil flows and Iraq cut output by 1.5 million barrels per day. South Korea’s Kospi dropped 12%, triggering a brief trading halt, while Japan’s Nikkei lost 3.9%. Europe’s STOXX 600 fell over 3% Tuesday, led by banks and insurers. Money markets slashed bets on a March Bank of England rate cut as energy prices surged.
March 4, 2026
Oil hits 19-month high as Iran war rattles global stocks and delays rate-cut hopes
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Oil hits 19-month high as Iran war rattles global stocks and delays rate-cut hopes

Global stock markets fell sharply Tuesday as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran disrupted oil shipping and pushed Brent crude up 7% to $83.44 a barrel. The FTSE 100 dropped 2.6%, Japan’s Nikkei 3.1%, and South Korea’s Kospi 7.2%. UK gas prices jumped 30% after Iran attacked five ships in the Strait of Hormuz, halting most tanker traffic. Investors delayed expectations for central bank rate cuts in the UK and U.S.
March 3, 2026
Oil Surges, Stock Futures Slide as Iran War Chokes Hormuz — What Wall Street Watches Next
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Oil Surges, Stock Futures Slide as Iran War Chokes Hormuz — What Wall Street Watches Next

Nasdaq 100 futures dropped over 2% early Tuesday as Brent crude surged above $83 a barrel, driven by shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz amid conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran. About 150 ships were stranded, and marine insurers began canceling war-risk coverage. Freight rates for crude shipments to China jumped to $423,736 per day. Washington said it would announce measures to address rising energy costs.
March 3, 2026
Strait of Hormuz closure pushes oil above $80 and gas to a 3-year high as Iran attacks snarl shipping
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Strait of Hormuz closure pushes oil above $80 and gas to a 3-year high as Iran attacks snarl shipping

Brent crude climbed above $80 a barrel for a third day as shipping risks surged in the Strait of Hormuz after attacks on tankers and LNG facilities. UK wholesale gas prices nearly doubled this week, while European gas hit a three-year high. Insurers pulled war-risk cover and freight costs soared as vessels rerouted. QatarEnergy halted LNG production after drone strikes at Ras Laffan and Mesaieed.
March 3, 2026
Wall Street hit by Iran strikes: Dow futures slide, oil spikes, defense stocks surge
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Wall Street hit by Iran strikes: Dow futures slide, oil spikes, defense stocks surge

U.S. stock index futures fell over 1% early Monday after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation sent oil prices surging and disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Dow E-minis dropped 508 points, while Brent crude briefly jumped 13% to $82.37 a barrel. Defense stocks rose in premarket trading; airlines, banks, and cruise operators declined. The CBOE Volatility Index hit a three-month high of 23.2.
March 2, 2026
Northrop Grumman stock jumps in premarket as Iran conflict puts defense names back in focus
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Northrop Grumman stock jumps in premarket as Iran conflict puts defense names back in focus

Northrop Grumman shares jumped 5.5% to $764.40 in premarket trading Monday after U.S. B-2 bombers, built by the company, struck Iranian targets over the weekend. U.S. stock index futures fell more than 1% as oil prices surged 8% and traders shifted into defense stocks. Some oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz were suspended following the attacks. Investors await fresh U.S. economic data later Monday.
March 2, 2026
Silver price braces for a volatile reopen after Iran strikes; US jobs report looms
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Silver price braces for a volatile reopen after Iran strikes; US jobs report looms

Spot silver jumped 6.1% to $93.74 an ounce Friday as investors sought havens after Israel launched new strikes on Tehran and oil surged about 10%. Brent crude traded near $80 a barrel, with analysts warning prices could climb if disruptions persist. COMEX silver futures reopen Sunday evening. Traders await U.S. jobs data Friday, seen as key for rate and dollar moves.
March 1, 2026
Gold price jumps near one-month high above $5,200 as Iran talks drag into weekend
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Gold price jumps near one-month high above $5,200 as Iran talks drag into weekend

Gold climbed to a one-month high Friday, with spot prices up 0.8% at $5,230.56 an ounce and U.S. April futures settling 1% higher at $5,247.90. Bullion has gained 7.6% in February, boosted by lower Treasury yields and U.S.-Iran headlines. The dollar index firmed, while U.S. producer prices rose 0.5% in January. China’s net gold imports via Hong Kong increased to 20.585 metric tons last month.
February 28, 2026
Gold price today jumps near one-month high as geopolitics, falling yields lift bullion
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Gold price today jumps near one-month high as geopolitics, falling yields lift bullion

Spot gold rose 1% to $5,238.75 an ounce on Friday, heading for a seventh straight monthly gain as U.S.-Iran tensions and falling Treasury yields drove safe-haven demand. U.S. gold futures for April delivery climbed 1.1% to $5,254. The yield on 10-year U.S. notes dropped to 3.977%. China’s net gold imports via Hong Kong jumped 68.7% in January from December.
February 27, 2026
Chevron’s Iraq oilfield gamble: one-year exclusive talks for West Qurna 2 after Lukoil sanctions
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Chevron’s Iraq oilfield gamble: one-year exclusive talks for West Qurna 2 after Lukoil sanctions

Chevron has secured a one-year exclusive window to negotiate new terms for Iraq’s West Qurna 2 oilfield after U.S. sanctions forced Russia’s Lukoil to exit. Any transfer of the field requires Iraqi cabinet approval and clearance from U.S. sanctions authorities. West Qurna 2 produces about 480,000 barrels per day, nearly 10% of Iraq’s oil output.
February 25, 2026
Oil prices jump to six-month high as Iran tensions flare and U.S. stocks slide
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Oil prices jump to six-month high as Iran tensions flare and U.S. stocks slide

Brent crude rose 1.8% to $71.60 a barrel and U.S. WTI climbed 1.9% to $66.41, both hitting six-month highs Thursday amid renewed U.S.-Iran tensions and a surprise U.S. inventory draw. Iran briefly closed the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday, raising supply concerns. U.S. crude stocks fell by 9 million barrels last week, defying analyst forecasts. President Trump pressed Iran for a nuclear deal as Washington increased its military presence.
February 19, 2026
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