{"id":64709,"date":"2026-07-13T10:38:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T14:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-declares-guardian-of-hormuz-role-as-global-markets-shake\/64709\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T10:38:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T14:38:20","slug":"us-declares-guardian-of-hormuz-role-as-global-markets-shake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-declares-guardian-of-hormuz-role-as-global-markets-shake\/64709\/","title":{"rendered":"US Declares &#8220;Guardian of Hormuz&#8221; Role as Global Markets Shake"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>President Trump has declared the U.S. the &quot;Guardian of the Hormuz Strait,&quot;<\/strong> announcing a <strong>20% reimbursement fee<\/strong> on all cargo shipped through the waterway to cover security costs.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">Oil prices<\/a> surged 5%<\/strong> on Monday, with <strong>Brent crude<\/strong> nearing <strong>$80\/bbl<\/strong> and <strong>U.S. WTI<\/strong> hitting <strong>$75\/bbl<\/strong> following renewed Iranian blockade threats and U.S. strikes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A coalition of U.S. states is set to sue<\/strong> to block the <strong>$110 billion<\/strong> merger between Paramount Global (<a href=\"\/stock\/PARA\">PARA<\/a>) and Warner Bros. Discovery (<a href=\"\/stock\/WBD\">WBD<\/a>), citing monopoly concerns.<\/li>\n<li><strong>SpaceX (<a href=\"\/stock\/SPCX\">SPCX<\/a>) shares hit a session low<\/strong>, extending a post-IPO slide to <strong>35% below its peak<\/strong> as investors reassess the company&#39;s <strong>$1.9 trillion<\/strong> valuation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The UK and Switzerland signed a landmark services trade deal<\/strong>, expected to boost British exports by <strong>\u00a35.2 billion<\/strong> annually through loosened visa restrictions for professionals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Geopolitical Tensions Ignite Energy Markets<\/h2>\n<p>Energy markets reacted sharply on Monday as President Trump announced the U.S. would officially assume the role of <strong>&quot;Guardian of the Hormuz Strait.&quot;<\/strong> In a move framed as a matter of &quot;fairness,&quot; the administration intends to collect a <strong>20% fee on all cargo<\/strong> passing through the volatile region to offset the costs of providing security. This follows a weekend of escalating conflict where the <strong>Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)<\/strong> reportedly threatened to close the strait to commercial shipping after fresh exchanges of fire with U.S. forces.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brent crude<\/strong> futures advanced over <strong>4% to trade near $80 per barrel<\/strong>, while <strong>U.S. WTI<\/strong> rose to an intraday high near <strong>$75 per barrel<\/strong>. The spike reflects a rapid repricing of geopolitical risk as the prospect of a prolonged naval blockade looms over one of the world&#39;s most critical oil chokepoints. <em>Analysts warn that if the 20% protection fee is implemented, it could lead to a permanent increase in global shipping costs and inflationary pressure on energy-dependent sectors.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Antitrust Challenges for Media Giants<\/h2>\n<p>The media landscape faces a significant legal hurdle as multiple U.S. states, led by <strong>California and New York<\/strong>, prepare to file a lawsuit on Monday to block the merger of Paramount Global (<a href=\"\/stock\/PARA\">PARA<\/a>) and Warner Bros. Discovery (<a href=\"\/stock\/WBD\">WBD<\/a>). The <strong>$110 billion<\/strong> deal, which would combine two of Hollywood\u2019s &quot;Big Four&quot; studios, has drawn intense scrutiny despite earlier signals that federal regulators might allow the transaction to proceed.<\/p>\n<p>State attorneys general are reportedly concerned that the consolidation will <strong>reduce consumer choice<\/strong>, drive up streaming subscription prices for services like <strong>Max<\/strong> and <strong>Paramount+<\/strong>, and harm the creative ecosystem. Paramount (<a href=\"\/stock\/PARA\">PARA<\/a>) has defended the deal as pro-competitive, pledging to maintain production levels of at least <strong>30 theatrical films annually<\/strong>. However, the pending litigation threatens to trigger a <strong>$6.9 million daily penalty<\/strong> for Paramount if the deal is not finalized by October.<\/p>\n<h2>Market Volatility: SpaceX and Gold Retreat<\/h2>\n<p>In the equity markets, <strong>SpaceX (<a href=\"\/stock\/SPCX\">SPCX<\/a>)<\/strong> shares continued their downward trajectory, falling <strong>4.9% to a session low<\/strong> of approximately <strong>$140.49<\/strong>. The stock has now retreated roughly <strong>35% from its post-IPO high<\/strong> of $225.64 reached in June. While the company recently cleared a regulatory hurdle with the <strong>FAA<\/strong> for its 13th Starship test flight, investors remain skeptical of its <strong>$1.9 trillion valuation<\/strong> in light of a reported <strong>$4.94 billion net loss<\/strong> in 2025.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Spot <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">gold<\/a><\/strong> also faced selling pressure, dropping <strong>2% to $4,039.24 per ounce<\/strong>. The decline in the precious metal is attributed to <strong>rising Treasury yields<\/strong> and a <strong>stronger U.S. Dollar<\/strong>, as markets increasingly bet that energy-driven inflation will force the <strong>Federal Reserve<\/strong> to keep interest rates higher for longer. <em>The shift suggests that investors are prioritizing the dollar and yields over gold&#39;s traditional status as a safe-haven asset during the current Gulf crisis.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Corporate and International Trade Developments<\/h2>\n<p>In the renewables sector, <strong>Shell (<a href=\"\/stock\/SHEL\">SHEL<\/a>)<\/strong> has reached a definitive agreement to sell its Indian renewable energy arm, <strong>Sprng Energy Group<\/strong>, to <strong>Aditya Birla Renewables Limited<\/strong>. The deal is valued at an enterprise value of <strong>$1.8 billion (\u20b917,200 crore)<\/strong> and includes a <strong>5 GWp portfolio<\/strong>. This divestment aligns with Shell\u2019s (<a href=\"\/stock\/SHEL\">SHEL<\/a>) strategic shift toward higher-return fossil fuel operations while allowing Aditya Birla to scale its green energy capacity toward a <strong>20 GW target<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>On the trade front, the <strong>UK and Switzerland<\/strong> have concluded negotiations on a &quot;modernized&quot; free trade agreement focused on services. The deal includes <strong>visa-free travel for up to 90 days<\/strong> for services professionals and allows UK firms to transfer staff to Swiss offices for up to <strong>five years<\/strong> without strict economic tests. The <strong>Department for Business and Trade<\/strong> estimates the agreement will unlock <strong>\u00a35.2 billion<\/strong> in annual services exports, marking the UK&#39;s most significant services-only deal since leaving the EU.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways President Trump has declared the U.S. the &quot;Guardian of the Hormuz Strait,&quot; announcing a 20% reimbursement fee on 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