FrontierMetrix

War in the Middle East severely disrupted maritime and air traffic. Even in the best case, there will be no clean return to the way things were. See our Chart of the Week blog. imf.org/en/blogs/artic…

Norway to reopen three gasfields closed down last century ft.trib.al/p7LrW7e

#CommodityTracker Indian markets are in focus this week as refiners ramp up #LPG output amid issues with the Middle East cargo flows, while #bunker demand slows on tight credit. Russian #gas flows via TurkStream declined in April, while Venezuela's #crude exports reached a six-year high.

U.S. Escorts First US-Flagged Ships Through Hormuz as Iran Warns of Attack gcaptain.com/u-s-escorts-fi…

The QatarEnergy-operated Q-Flex tanker Mesaimeer has ended two months of idling in the Arabian Sea by moving to Oman’s Qalhat terminal to load #LNG. The vessel is the first QatarEnergy-operated tanker to load outside the Strait of Hormuz since the Middle East conflict began on Feb. 28. Her move highlights how Qalhat’s location on Oman’s eastern coast offers a rare export route that avoids Hormuz, while most laden Qatari vessels remain stranded at or near Ras Laffan. Kpler data show Mesaimeer is expected to load 209,714 cubic metres, though her destination is unclear. Stay ahead of the market with #Kpler Insight: okt.to/UupjES

The oil price crunch is looming ft.trib.al/rcKcPUA

BREAKING: US oil prices fall below $100/barrel as President Trump announces that the US will be guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Asia’s economic pain deepens as Iran war drags on ft.trib.al/a0PuOpO

SoftBank aims to make data center batteries without lithium, cobalt s.nikkei.com/4dpZAxR

Bitcoin rose above $80,000 for the first time in more than three months as Asian stocks approached record highs bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

A supertanker hauling Iraqi crude may have crossed the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, automated tracking data suggest. Separately, a cargo of cooking fuel destined for India left the Persian Gulf. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

CHINA’s independent oil refiners and the parallel market for Iran’s crude oil: wsj.com/world/middle-e…

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is now drawing down at more than 1 million bpd. Global trading firm Trafigura has so far been the most active buyer of SPR barrels, taking 21.4 million barrels, with Shell coming in second (18.1 million barrels). European refiners are benefiting from discounted U.S. crude, as SPR barrels (often sour grades) are offered below local prices and shipped to hubs like Rotterdam

Exxon net income falls, output hit by Iran war reut.rs/4tMliCQ reut.rs/4tMliCQ

Global vehicle carrier fleet capacity is set to expand significantly again in 2026, at levels comparable to the record growth seen in 2025 lloydslist.com/articles/2026/…

Apple expects 'significantly higher' memory chip cost in upcoming quarters s.nikkei.com/42aYRv5

Kashkari: Uncertainty around oil shock means Fed should acknowledge risk of rate hikes reut.rs/4cWBJFH reut.rs/4cWBJFH

Defense Startups Get Boost as Pentagon Looks Beyond Biggest Contractors on.wsj.com/4eWpnzP

“The consumer AI revolution is gonna go through Cupertino,” says Dan Ives, global head of tech research and senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities, as he discusses expectations for Apple’s AI strategy bloom.bg/4cTbkZe

Belgium plans to nationalise nuclear power plants bbc.in/49mN8xk