Oil & Gas
Oil Crossed $100 Again, but the Bigger Inflation Risk May Be Diesel
Oil is back above $100, but America’s bigger inflation problem may be diesel. Distillate stocks are scraping historic lows, refineries are already running near full tilt and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve cannot solve the shortage on its own.
Energy Matrix - More Crude Does Not Mean More Fuel
Crude supply alone no longer explainss whether the market has enough fuel. Refinery configuration, product inventories and shipping costs increasingly determine which fuels are available, where they can be delivered—and at what price.
Maritime Insights — Hormuz Is Still Moving Oil, but at a Record Price
Hormuz crude is still moving, but at a much higher cost. Deep discounts are keeping cargoes profitable even as Iran expands tanker restrictions and VLCC earnings surge to a record $624,000 a day.
Maritime Insights - Hormuz Shipping Nears a Standstill, Offshore Ship-to-Ship Becoming the New Gulf Energy Route? Behind: China and Saudi Arabia shift more Oil to STS; LNG may follow
China is restructuring the physical logistics of its Middle East crude imports through offshore STS transfers — and the resulting inefficiency is creating exceptionally high VLCC margins.
Global Chokepoint - Panama Canal Tightens Draft Limits as Water Levels Come Under Pressure
Falling water levels are tightening Panama Canal draft limits, raising transit prices.
Commodity Desk - If Hormuz Reopens, the Barrels Will Still Lag: Why Oil’s Peace Trade Could Overshoot
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz could hammer Brent, but EIA and IEA forecasts show Gulf production and inventories may take much longer to recover.
Global Chokepoint - Iran Says Hormuz Shipping Route Deal Reached With Oman (Aug 6, 2026)
Iran said it had reached an agreement with Oman on a proposed route for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a potential step toward a reopening of the critical waterway for energy supplies.
Maritime Insights - Why Shipowners Are Ordering VLCCs at the Top of the Cycle
VLCC contracting has moved from a relatively subdued market into the strongest ordering wave of the past decade. Owners and financial investors are therefore competing for modern capacity scheduled for delivery toward the end of the decade.
Breaking News - Blackstone, Brookfield, KKR Ink $16 Billion Kuwait Oil Pipelines Deal
Blackstone, KKR and Brookfield have agreed a $16bn deal to take a stake in Kuwait’s national oil pipelines network in the Gulf state’s largest-ever foreign investment as it raises capital to pay for the cost of Iranian attacks.
Global Chokepoint - Hormuz Update - Vessel on fire, caution advised; Iran vows not a ‘single drop’ of oil or gas will pass strait - July 20, 2026
Another vessel allegedly under attack; Iran vows not a ‘single drop’ of oil or gas will pass strait of Hormuz as US carries out ninth night of strikes
Global Chokepoint - Trump Drops 20% Fee for Hormuz Cargo After Gulf Pressure
President Donald Trump backed away from his plan to impose a 20% charge on cargo shipments through the Strait of Hormuz after US allies in the Gulf urged him to drop it.
Oil Climbs as US Strikes Iran, Fueling Inflation and Rate Hike Bets
Oil rose and Treasuries fell after the US launched another round of strikes against Iran, reviving concern that higher energy prices will keep inflation elevated and interest rates higher for longer.
