Energy — Oil Surges Past $100 as US-Iran Talks Collapse and Trump Announces Strait of Hormuz Blockade, Triggering Global LNG Supply Crisis

Energy · 2026-04-13

TODAY'S SIGNAL — The Middle East energy crisis entered a dangerous new phase on April 13 as the collapse of US-Iran negotiations and President Trump's announcement of a Strait of Hormuz blockade drove oil back above $100/bbl (WTI at $105.30, Brent at $103.30). The cascading effects are now systemic: Asian LNG imports have plunged to their lowest since June 2020, falling below 600,000 tons on a…