The Oil Market Absorbed The War Shock, But Buffers Are Running Low – Analysis
The global economy has just narrowly avoided a catastrophic energy crisis, but the celebration is entirely premature. When military hostilities in early 2026 led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—cutting off roughly 20 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude and refined products—conventional economic models predicted an immediate and paralyzing oil price spike well past $150 a barrel. Yet, to the surprise of many, prices quickly settled into a relatively stable range of $90 to $100 per barrel.