{"id":64996,"date":"2026-07-18T04:08:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T08:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-tensions-escalate-as-iran-strikes-us-bases-japans-maglev-project-clears-critical-hurdle\/64996\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T04:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T08:08:17","slug":"global-tensions-escalate-as-iran-strikes-us-bases-japans-maglev-project-clears-critical-hurdle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-tensions-escalate-as-iran-strikes-us-bases-japans-maglev-project-clears-critical-hurdle\/64996\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Tensions Escalate as Iran Strikes US Bases; Japan\u2019s Maglev Project Clears Critical Hurdle"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards<\/strong> launched simultaneous missile and drone attacks on <strong>US assets in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain<\/strong>, destroying at least two fighter jets and damaging several others at the <strong>Azraq Air Base<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Japan\u2019s Chuo Shinkansen maglev project<\/strong> cleared its most significant administrative hurdle as the <strong>Governor of Shizuoka<\/strong> approved construction on a critical 8.9km section, potentially unlocking the <strong>\u00a511 trillion ($67.7 billion)<\/strong> project.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hungary\u2019s $20 billion electric-vehicle industry<\/strong> faces a major policy shift under new leadership, with strict environmental crackdowns and potential tax hikes targeting giants like <strong>CATL (<a href=\"\/stock\/300750\">300750<\/a>)<\/strong> and <strong>BYD (<a href=\"\/stock\/1211\">1211<\/a>)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Global olive oil leader Deoleo (<a href=\"\/stock\/OLE\">OLE<\/a>)<\/strong> reported a shift toward market stability and a <strong>50% increase in EBITDA to \u20ac50 million<\/strong>, citing a bumper harvest in Spain as a primary catalyst for price normalization.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ukraine\u2019s 2026 grain harvest<\/strong> is projected to reach <strong>60 million metric tons<\/strong>, maintaining its role as a global breadbasket despite ongoing front-line food security crises affecting 700,000 citizens.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Middle East Conflict Intensifies Near Strategic Waterways<\/h2>\n<p>Tensions in the Middle East reached a fever pitch on Saturday as <strong>Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC)<\/strong> claimed responsibility for a wave of strikes against US military infrastructure. The attacks targeted the <strong>Azraq Air Base in Jordan<\/strong>, where Iranian officials claim to have destroyed two fighter jets and three other aircraft. Simultaneously, air raid sirens were sounded in <strong>Bahrain<\/strong> for the second time today, as the IRGC warned it would target any vessel or facility aiding &quot;enemy&quot; logistics in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The maritime situation remains volatile, with Iran\u2019s Expediency Council member <strong>Hossein Mozaffar<\/strong> confirming attacks on ships in the Omani section of the Strait. <em>Tehran\u2019s strategy appears focused on disrupting military equipment transport through Omani waters<\/em>, which it views as a direct threat to national security. While the US <strong>Central Command (CENTCOM)<\/strong> has denied reports of tanker explosions, it confirmed that US Marines have begun boarding vessels in the <strong>Gulf of Oman<\/strong> to enforce a renewed naval blockade.<\/p>\n<h2>Infrastructure and Industry: Japan and Hungary<\/h2>\n<p>In a landmark development for global transport, <strong>Central Japan Railway Company (<a href=\"\/stock\/9022\">9022<\/a>)<\/strong>, also known as <strong>JR Central<\/strong>, received the green light to proceed with the Shizuoka section of its maglev line. This 8.9km stretch had been stalled for nine years due to environmental concerns regarding the <strong>Oi River<\/strong>. The project, designed to transport passengers between <strong>Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes<\/strong> at speeds of 500 km\/h, is now estimated to open by <strong>2036<\/strong> at the earliest.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, <strong>Hungary\u2019s EV sector<\/strong> is entering a period of &quot;reckoning.&quot; The new administration, led by <strong>P\u00e9ter Magyar<\/strong>, has signaled a departure from the previous government&#39;s protective stance. <em>Investors are closely monitoring the impact on major players<\/em> like <strong>Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (<a href=\"\/stock\/300750\">300750<\/a>)<\/strong> and <strong>BYD (<a href=\"\/stock\/1211\">1211<\/a>)<\/strong>, as the government threatens factory closures for environmental violations and looks to increase the tax burden on the <strong>$20 billion<\/strong> industry.<\/p>\n<h2>Commodity Markets: Grain and Olive Oil Stability<\/h2>\n<p>Despite the geopolitical turmoil, some commodity markets are showing signs of resilience. <strong>Ukraine<\/strong> expects its grain harvest to hit <strong>60.4 million tons<\/strong> this year, a figure that ensures the country remains a vital exporter for global food security. However, the domestic situation remains dire, with <strong>700,000 Ukrainians<\/strong> near the front lines still relying on <strong>U.N. convoys<\/strong> for basic sustenance.<\/p>\n<p>In the consumer goods sector, <strong>Deoleo (<a href=\"\/stock\/OLE\">OLE<\/a>)<\/strong> CEO <strong>Crist\u00f3bal Vald\u00e9s<\/strong> noted that the period of &quot;unprecedented volatility&quot; in the olive oil market has ended. A <strong>64% increase<\/strong> in the Spanish harvest for the 2024\/2025 season has allowed the company to lower consumer prices while increasing sales volumes by <strong>11%<\/strong>. The company\u2019s <strong>&quot;EVOO-lution&quot;<\/strong> strategy helped it achieve a net profit of <strong>\u20ac20 million<\/strong>, signaling a robust recovery for the world&#39;s largest olive oil distributor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards launched simultaneous missile and drone attacks on US assets in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, destroying 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