{"id":63715,"date":"2026-06-25T03:38:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T07:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks\/63715\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T03:38:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T07:38:20","slug":"irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks\/63715\/","title":{"rendered":"IRGC Rejects New Hormuz Routes; ECB Signals Further Hikes Amid Inflation Risks"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks\/63715\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks\/63715\/#IRGC_Issues_Warning_Over_Strait_of_Hormuz_Navigation\" >IRGC Issues Warning Over Strait of Hormuz Navigation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks\/63715\/#ECB_Maintains_Hawkish_Stance_Despite_Ceasefire\" >ECB Maintains Hawkish Stance Despite Ceasefire<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks\/63715\/#Chinese_Banks_Curb_Gold_Trading_Amid_Volatility\" >Chinese Banks Curb Gold Trading Amid Volatility<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks\/63715\/#Spain_Confirms_Growth_as_Producer_Prices_Spike\" >Spain Confirms Growth as Producer Prices Spike<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/irgc-rejects-new-hormuz-routes-ecb-signals-further-hikes-amid-inflation-risks\/63715\/#H_M_Faces_Rising_Logistics_Costs\" >H&amp;M Faces Rising Logistics Costs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)<\/strong> has officially rejected a new multinational shipping route in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, labeling it &quot;prohibited&quot; and &quot;extremely dangerous&quot; while asserting that only Tehran-approved corridors are valid.<\/li>\n<li><strong>ECB Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel<\/strong> warned that further interest rate hikes are necessary to reach the <strong>2% inflation target<\/strong>, despite a recent ceasefire in the Middle East and falling <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">oil prices<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Major Chinese banks<\/strong>, including ICBC (<a href=\"\/stock\/1398\">1398<\/a>), are shutting down retail precious metals trading services and raising margin requirements to as high as <strong>140%<\/strong> following extreme <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">gold price<\/a> volatility.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spain&#39;s Q1 GDP<\/strong> growth was confirmed at <strong>0.6% quarter-on-quarter<\/strong>, while <strong>May Producer Price Index (PPI)<\/strong> surged to <strong>10.5% year-on-year<\/strong>, signaling persistent upstream inflationary pressure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>H&amp;M (<a href=\"\/stock\/HM-B\">HM-B<\/a>)<\/strong> leadership anticipates rising freight expenses driven by increased reliance on air cargo and higher fuel fees resulting from ongoing maritime disruptions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"IRGC_Issues_Warning_Over_Strait_of_Hormuz_Navigation\"><\/span>IRGC Issues Warning Over Strait of Hormuz Navigation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)<\/strong> issued a stern warning on Thursday, stating that any vessel movement outside of Iran&#39;s designated routes in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> is strictly prohibited. The IRGC Navy emphasized that a new route recently announced by &quot;certain parties&quot;\u2014referring to an <strong>International Maritime Organization (IMO)<\/strong> and <strong>Omani-backed<\/strong> evacuation plan\u2014was established without Tehran&#39;s coordination.<\/p>\n<p>The Iranian military body declared that coordination via <strong>VHF Channel 16<\/strong> is mandatory for all transiting ships, and violating vessels &quot;will be dealt with.&quot; This development complicates international efforts to evacuate seafarers and reopen the waterway, which remains a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies despite the current regional ceasefire.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ECB_Maintains_Hawkish_Stance_Despite_Ceasefire\"><\/span>ECB Maintains Hawkish Stance Despite Ceasefire<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>European Central Bank (ECB)<\/strong> policymaker <strong>Isabel Schnabel<\/strong> stated on Thursday that the central bank cannot &quot;let its guard down&quot; regarding monetary policy. Speaking in an interview, Schnabel noted that while the Middle East ceasefire is a positive development, current interest rates are not yet sufficiently restrictive to ensure inflation returns to the <strong>2% medium-term target<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The ECB recently raised its key deposit facility rate to <strong>2.25%<\/strong> on June 17, but Schnabel signaled that the &quot;short-term situation looks better than expected&quot; only in terms of growth, not necessarily price stability. She warned that second-round effects, including wage demands and firm-level price pass-throughs, remain significant upside risks to the inflation outlook.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Chinese_Banks_Curb_Gold_Trading_Amid_Volatility\"><\/span>Chinese Banks Curb Gold Trading Amid Volatility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A wave of major Chinese financial institutions, led by the <strong>Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/1398\">1398<\/a>), has moved to suspend or restrict retail precious metals trading. <strong>ICBC<\/strong> announced it will fully cease individual trading linked to the <strong>Shanghai Gold Exchange<\/strong> by July 24, 2026. Other lenders, including <strong>China Guangfa Bank<\/strong> and <strong>Bank of China<\/strong>, have hiked margin requirements to <strong>140%<\/strong>, effectively eliminating leverage for retail speculators.<\/p>\n<p>These drastic measures follow a period of extreme volatility where gold prices surged to nearly <strong>$5,600 per ounce<\/strong> before retreating below the <strong>$4,000<\/strong> mark. Regulators are reportedly keen to avoid a repeat of past retail investment crises, prioritizing market stability over trading volume as the <strong>People&#39;s Bank of China<\/strong> continues its own strategic gold accumulation.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Spain_Confirms_Growth_as_Producer_Prices_Spike\"><\/span>Spain Confirms Growth as Producer Prices Spike<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Official data from Spain&#39;s <strong>National Statistics Institute (INE)<\/strong> confirmed that the economy grew by <strong>0.6%<\/strong> in the first quarter of 2026, matching preliminary estimates. On an annual basis, <strong>GDP expanded by 2.7%<\/strong>, supported by resilient private consumption and service exports. However, the report noted that goods exports remain weak due to international trade tensions and previous disruptions in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>Inflationary signals remain mixed but concerning at the producer level; the <strong>Spanish PPI<\/strong> for May rose to <strong>10.5% year-on-year<\/strong>, a significant jump from the previous month&#39;s <strong>8.5%<\/strong>. This spike suggests that while consumer-facing inflation may be stabilizing, manufacturers are still facing intense cost pressures that could eventually be passed on to the public.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"H_M_Faces_Rising_Logistics_Costs\"><\/span>H&amp;M Faces Rising Logistics Costs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Retail giant <strong>H&amp;M (<a href=\"\/stock\/HM-B\">HM-B<\/a>)<\/strong> is bracing for a hit to its margins as the company&#39;s CFO flagged an expected increase in freight expenses. The retailer is increasingly turning to <strong>air cargo<\/strong> to bypass maritime bottlenecks in the Middle East, a move that significantly raises transportation costs compared to traditional sea freight.<\/p>\n<p>The company also noted that <strong>fuel fees<\/strong> and market disruption surcharges remain elevated. While the broader retail sector has seen some relief from falling oil prices, the volatility in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> continues to force logistics providers to maintain high surcharges, impacting the bottom line for global apparel firms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has officially rejected a new multinational shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz, labeling 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