{"id":64706,"date":"2026-07-13T09:38:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/iran-issues-strait-of-hormuz-warning-as-blackstone-inks-5-34b-energy-deal\/64706\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T09:38:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:38:18","slug":"iran-issues-strait-of-hormuz-warning-as-blackstone-inks-5-34b-energy-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/iran-issues-strait-of-hormuz-warning-as-blackstone-inks-5-34b-energy-deal\/64706\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran Issues Strait of Hormuz Warning as Blackstone Inks $5.34B Energy Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Iran\u2019s military command warned of &quot;strong confrontation&quot;<\/strong> regarding any unauthorized U.S. transit through the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, threatening to expand conflict to the entire region.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Blackstone (<a href=\"\/stock\/BX\">BX<\/a>)<\/strong> reached a definitive agreement to acquire a stake in <strong>Williams (<a href=\"\/stock\/WMB\">WMB<\/a>)<\/strong> power joint ventures for <strong>$5.34 billion<\/strong>, marking a massive bet on energy infrastructure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Delta Air Lines (<a href=\"\/stock\/DAL\">DAL<\/a>)<\/strong> CEO Ed Bastian expects <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">oil prices<\/a> to remain <strong>&quot;sticky&quot; for longer<\/strong> but maintains that the airline will remain profitable through strict capacity discipline.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kazakhstan\u2019s oil production fell by 8.4%<\/strong> in the first half of 2026, further tightening global supply amid escalating Middle Eastern tensions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Q2 earnings season begins this week<\/strong> with analysts projecting a robust <strong>23.6% <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/indices\/sp500\/today\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"snp500 today\">S&amp;P 500<\/a> EPS growth rate<\/strong>, despite significant geopolitical and tariff-related headwinds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz Closure<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Iran\u2019s Top Joint Military Command<\/strong> issued a series of provocative statements on Monday, asserting that it will not allow the U.S. to intervene in the management of the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>. The military leadership stated that any attempt by U.S. forces to transit the waterway without Iranian authorization will be <strong>&quot;strongly confronted.&quot;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The rhetoric escalated further as Tehran warned regional neighbors that any cooperation with the U.S. would be viewed as an <strong>act of war against Iran<\/strong>. <em>Market analysts are closely watching the situation, as a disruption in the Strait could jeopardize nearly 20% of the world&#39;s daily oil consumption.<\/em> Iran maintained that the responsibility for any widening of the conflict lies solely with the <strong>U.S. and its allies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Blackstone Makes $5.34B Infrastructure Play<\/h2>\n<p>In a major move within the energy sector, <strong>Blackstone (<a href=\"\/stock\/BX\">BX<\/a>)<\/strong> has agreed to take a significant stake in power joint ventures owned by <strong>Williams (<a href=\"\/stock\/WMB\">WMB<\/a>)<\/strong> for <strong>$5.34 billion<\/strong>. This transaction highlights the private equity giant&#39;s continued appetite for stable, cash-flowing energy infrastructure assets.<\/p>\n<p>The deal comes at a time when power demand is surging due to data center expansion and the electrification of the economy. <strong>Williams (<a href=\"\/stock\/WMB\">WMB<\/a>)<\/strong> is expected to use the proceeds to strengthen its balance sheet and fund further growth projects in the natural gas space.<\/p>\n<h2>Delta Braces for &quot;Sticky&quot; Oil Prices<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Delta Air Lines (<a href=\"\/stock\/DAL\">DAL<\/a>)<\/strong> CEO Ed Bastian provided a cautious but optimistic outlook on the aviation industry&#39;s ability to handle rising fuel costs. Bastian noted that while oil prices are likely to remain <strong>&quot;sticky&quot; for a longer period<\/strong>, the airline is prepared to <strong>&quot;do just fine&quot;<\/strong> by maintaining rigorous discipline over its flight capacity.<\/p>\n<p><em>The airline industry is currently navigating a complex environment of high travel demand versus volatile input costs.<\/em> By restricting capacity growth, <strong>Delta Air Lines (<a href=\"\/stock\/DAL\">DAL<\/a>)<\/strong> aims to maintain pricing power to offset the impact of higher jet fuel prices.<\/p>\n<h2>Global Oil Supply and Earnings Outlook<\/h2>\n<p>Adding to global energy concerns, the <strong>Ministry of Energy in Kazakhstan<\/strong> reported that national oil production <strong>dropped by 8.4%<\/strong> during the first half of the year. This decline contributes to a tightening global market already rattled by the military posturing in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Wall Street is shifting its focus to the start of the <strong>Q2 earnings season<\/strong>, which kicks off with major banks this week. While the projected <strong>23.6% EPS growth<\/strong> for the S&amp;P 500 is historically strong, corporate guidance is expected to be pressured by <strong>geopolitical conflicts, tariff rebates, and potential dividend cuts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Iran\u2019s military command warned of &quot;strong confrontation&quot; regarding any unauthorized U.S. transit through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening 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