Another blockade in Hormuz, but the stock market reaction remains unexpectedly restrained. What are investors pricing in?

The U.S. announcement of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz pushed crude oil back to the $100 mark, but the stock market decline remained moderate. Analysts believe that investors generally perceive this blockade as part of Trump's 'maximum pressure' negotiation strategy rather than a systemic escalation toward war. Although inflation expectations have driven up U.S. Treasury yields, the VIX index suggests that the peak of panic has passed. The market is betting on the continuation of diplomatic channels, and defensive positioning also leaves room for a potential rebound should tensions ease.

wallstreetcnApr 13 15:43

Strait blockade triggers oil price surge; analysts say panic peak has passed, is the market immune to Trump?

Following the U.S. announcement of a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, markets reacted in a familiar manner: a sharp rise in crude oil prices, an increase in bond yields, and a strengthening of the dollar. However, unlike previous instances, reactions in assets other than oil remained relatively subdued this time. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices surged at the opening on Monday (April 13), currently trading near $104.10 per barrel, with intraday gains of approximately 7.8%. Asian stock markets generally declined, but the drops were moderate, with major benchmark indices falling by about 1%. U.S. stock index futures also saw their declines contained within 1%, indicating that panic sentiment did not spread comprehensively as investors had already priced in some geopolitical risks ahead of time and displayed reduced sensitivity to headline news.

FX678 FinanceApr 13 14:16

Amid growing concerns about a rebound in inflation, US Treasury investors are increasing their hedging efforts to guard against further price declines.

Amid a fragile ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran and lingering market uncertainties, the US Treasury market, valued at $31 trillion, is facing a critical test.

Zhitong FinanceApr 10 06:00

U.S. Treasury yields, which had just begun to rise, were pushed down again by developments in the Hormuz Strait, leaving only two days for the gold market's bullish and bearish showdown.

On Thursday (April 9), the global financial markets are currently at an extremely delicate equilibrium. Although a fragile ceasefire agreement previously reached has temporarily suppressed some risk-averse sentiment, the latest developments indicate that concerns over shipping safety in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated again. Prominent institutions have pointed out that, due to the lack of substantial resolution of core geopolitical tensions, the current market optimism is rapidly evaporating. Meanwhile, the latest minutes released by the Federal Reserve conveyed a clear hawkish signal, with the urgency of inflation control remaining higher than previously anticipated by the market. Affected by these factors, U.S. Treasury yields, the U.S. Dollar Index, and spot gold experienced a period of volatility.

FX678 FinanceApr 9 20:24

The world has never faced an oil crisis under such a high level of debt! Economists: The United States is particularly vulnerable.

①Renowned economist Ruchir Sharma wrote over the weekend that the world has never entered a crisis while shouldering such heavy debt, making the United States particularly vulnerable despite being the largest oil producer globally. ②He warned that this lack of fiscal space leaves heavily indebted governments with almost no capacity to respond to the energy shock triggered by Trump's war on Iran.

cls.cnApr 7 09:01

Will gold face a significant pullback next week? Strong non-farm payroll data adds new inflationary pressure.

Today (April 3, 2026), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its March nonfarm payroll report, which significantly exceeded market expectations. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 178,000, far surpassing the market forecast of approximately 60,000, while the unemployment rate remained slightly stable at 4.3%. This figure marks a sharp rebound from the downwardly revised -133,000 jobs reported in February. Employment growth was primarily concentrated in healthcare (+76,000), construction (+26,000), and transportation and warehousing (+21,000). The data indicates that the resilience of the U.S. labor market is much stronger than previously pessimistic forecasts had suggested, even sufficient to keep pace with natural population growth.

FX678 FinanceApr 3 21:59