{"id":59291,"date":"2026-03-01T20:38:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T00:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-reeling-after-us-israel-strikes-on-iran-oil-surges-as-strait-of-hormuz-closes\/59291\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T20:38:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T00:38:18","slug":"global-markets-reeling-after-us-israel-strikes-on-iran-oil-surges-as-strait-of-hormuz-closes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-reeling-after-us-israel-strikes-on-iran-oil-surges-as-strait-of-hormuz-closes\/59291\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Markets Reeling After US-Israel Strikes on Iran; Oil Surges as Strait of Hormuz Closes"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Oil prices recorded their largest surge in four years<\/strong>, with <strong>Brent<\/strong> crude topping <strong>$82<\/strong> and <strong>WTI<\/strong> nearing <strong>$72<\/strong> after Iran\u2019s Navy prohibited transit through the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Global equity futures and Asian markets plummeted<\/strong>, as <strong>EuroStoxx 50<\/strong> futures fell <strong>1.6%<\/strong> and the <strong>Nikkei 225<\/strong> dropped <strong>1.9%<\/strong> following massive US and Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Goldman Sachs (<a href=\"\/stock\/GS\">GS<\/a>) warned that European natural gas prices could skyrocket by 130%<\/strong> to approximately <strong>$25\/MMBtu<\/strong> if the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz persists for a month.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Safe-haven demand has intensified<\/strong>, driving investors into <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold<\/a><\/strong>, the <strong>US Dollar<\/strong>, and <strong>Bonds<\/strong>, while security has been tightened around the <strong>U.S. Capitol<\/strong> and other sensitive locations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Middle East Escalation Triggers Market Chaos<\/h2>\n<p>Global financial markets are in a state of shock following a massive aerial campaign launched by <strong>US<\/strong> and <strong>Israeli<\/strong> forces against targets in <strong>Tehran<\/strong>. Reports indicate the strikes have resulted in the first <strong>American war fatalities<\/strong> of the escalation and the alleged death of Iran\u2019s <strong>Supreme Leader<\/strong>, prompting immediate retaliatory strikes against US and allied interests in the <strong>Gulf<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the attacks, a major Japanese shipping group confirmed that the <strong>Iranian Navy<\/strong> has officially blocked all transit through the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>. This corridor is vital for the global movement of <strong>crude oil<\/strong> and <strong>liquefied natural gas (LNG)<\/strong>, and its closure has sparked immediate fears of a global energy-driven inflation shock.<\/p>\n<h2>Energy and Commodities Surge<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Oil prices<\/strong> saw a violent move upward as the conflict disrupted maritime traffic, with analysts warning that <strong>US gasoline prices<\/strong> are set to rise significantly. <em>The market is currently pricing in a high geopolitical risk premium as supply concerns take center stage.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Goldman Sachs (<a href=\"\/stock\/GS\">GS<\/a>)<\/strong> issued a stark warning regarding the European energy sector, noting that a month-long closure of the Strait could drive gas prices above <strong>\u20ac100\/MWh<\/strong>. Such a move would likely trigger <strong>widespread industrial demand destruction<\/strong> across the <strong>European Union<\/strong>, which has already urged &quot;maximum restraint&quot; to avoid a broader regional war.<\/p>\n<h2>Equities Retreat as Safe Havens Rally<\/h2>\n<p>Equity markets across the globe are under heavy pressure, with <strong>US stock futures<\/strong> sliding and <strong>Asia-Pacific<\/strong> indices trading deep in the red. The <strong>DAX<\/strong> futures dropped <strong>1.7%<\/strong>, while the <strong>ASX 200<\/strong> in Australia fell <strong>0.4%<\/strong> as investors fled riskier assets in favor of stability.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gold<\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/silver\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"silver price today\">Silver<\/a><\/strong> prices climbed sharply as spot demand for safe havens spiked amid the uncertainty. The <strong>US Dollar<\/strong> and <strong>10-year JGB futures<\/strong> also saw gains, reflecting a classic &quot;flight to quality&quot; as the threat of a broader regional conflict looms over the global economy.<\/p>\n<h2>Political and Corporate Developments<\/h2>\n<p>In the <strong>United States<\/strong>, President <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> has vowed to continue the bombing campaign despite the risk to global oil supplies. Domestically, <strong>House Democrats<\/strong> have signaled that a return to the majority would lead to sweeping investigations and potential impeachment proceedings against senior officials, adding a layer of political volatility to the crisis.<\/p>\n<p>Amid the geopolitical turmoil, corporate and regional news continued to filter through. <strong>Michael Saylor<\/strong> signaled that MicroStrategy (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSTR\">MSTR<\/a>) may purchase additional <strong>Bitcoin<\/strong>, while the <strong>UK government<\/strong> awarded a <strong>\u00a31 billion<\/strong> contract to Italy\u2019s Leonardo (<a href=\"\/stock\/LDO\">LDO<\/a>) for military helicopters. <em>These developments, however, remain overshadowed by the rapidly evolving security situation in the Middle East.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Oil prices recorded their largest surge in four years, with Brent crude topping $82 and WTI nearing $72 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