Gulf states rushed to build new pipelines avoiding the Strait of Hormuz. The Financial Times reported nations reviving Saudi-style East-West routes despite massive costs. India's central bank blocked rupee shorts as currency stress mounted. Gas prices soared past $4 per gallon domestically.
Trump told the Wall Street Journal he'd announce Iran war plans soon. Asia-Pacific markets whipsawed on the comments. Oil traders normally thriving on volatility got caught flat-footed by crisis scale. Brent crude surged 60% in March marking the biggest monthly gain since 1988.
Energy rationing spread globally. Bangladesh to Zambia imposed fuel demand cuts as Middle East flows stopped. The world's top energy traders faced unprecedented dislocation between benchmarks and physical supply.
Trump moved to end EV tax credits creating "cruel irony" per auto experts. TSLA Tesla analysts forecast 1.6M deliveries this year with robotaxis as key drivers. F Ford and GM General Motors navigated the policy shift as gas prices jumped.
LCID Lucid and Rivian absorbed the credit elimination blow. EV sales fell as consumers faced $4 gas and vanishing incentives. The policy timing drew criticism amid fuel price chaos.
Foxconn reported revenue up 30% fueled by AI demand. The AAPL Apple and NVDA Nvidia supplier warned of global political risks. Senator Elizabeth Warren pushed wealth taxes on AMZN Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to fund insulin and school meals.
Chinese government bonds emerged as the lone war haven. Yields dropped marginally while other major economies saw rates climb. Currency markets absorbed volatility as conflict extended into week five.
ORTEX Market Intelligence content is generated by AI from a snapshot of ORTEX's proprietary data. Content is informational only and does not constitute investment advice.
