Markets have historically tended to bottom well ahead of broader spillover effects.
As Andreas Steno Larsen notes, “markets typically bottom when the rate of change improves.” Source: TME
SPX has tracked oil almost tick-for-tick since the Iran war began. Now it’s starting to decouple.
Do you trust forward-looking equities, or oil stuck at extremes? Source: TME
The Strait of Hormuz is the lifeline of the global economy: Saudi Arabia is the largest source of crude oil transiting the Strait at 38%, followed by Iraq at 22% and the UAE at 14%.
Iran, Kuwait, and Qatar follow at 11%, 10%, and 5%, respectively. On the destination side, China receives the largest portion at 37%, followed by India at 14%, Other Asia and Oceania at 16%, South Korea at 12%, and Japan at 12%. This means ~75% of all crude oil passing through the Strait flows to Asia, making the region overwhelmingly the most exposed to the current disruption. Saudi Arabia and Iraq alone represent 60% of all crude transiting the chokepoint, meaning any prolonged closure disproportionately impacts their export revenues and Asian buyers simultaneously. The Strait of Hormuz is the most critical chokepoint in global energy flows. Source: Global Markets Investor
A record short bet against oil as TRADERS POUR $977 MILLION INTO LEVERED BET THAT OIL WILL PLUNGE
Just before Trump sent oil prices surging higher... Oil traders made a big leveraged bet that prices would fall from war-driven highs — but many are losing badly. Investors poured $977M into the inverse oil ETF (SCO) in March, its biggest monthly inflow ever. The fund aims to profit when oil drops, but instead plunged 41% as crude surged. The bet hinges on a quick end to conflict. While the fund briefly jumped 8% after signals of de-escalation, oil prices remain elevated — rising as high as $119 and still around $102, well above February levels. Ongoing supply disruptions, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, could keep prices high for months. Even a ceasefire may not be enough for short traders to recover. Bottom line: this is a high-risk “war ends soon” trade — and so far, it’s backfiring. Source: Markets & Mayhem, *Walter Bloomberg @DeItaone
Here are the current sensitivity measures to the oil price
Source: David Ingles, Bloomberg
Oil is up 70% in five weeks. The last time crude moved this violently was 2020. Back then the problem was too much supply. Now it's the opposite.
Source: Maxence Visseau - Arkevium Capital & Arkevium Research
Saudi oil export through Yanbu West Terminal are skyrocketing. The next target for Iran?
The Houthis’ involvement adds a second maritime pressure point in the Red Sea, with the ability to threaten Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu export hub and disrupt traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb. This puts ~5 mbd of Saudi bypass capacity at risk, potentially adding around $20/bbl to oil prices, writes JPM's Kaneva. Workarounds exist, but longer routes could extend Asia shipping times by up to 40 days and require 130+ additional tanker voyages. Source. JP Morgan, RBC, TME
While the market panics, Buffett is raking.
Occidental Petroleum $OXY Source: Trend Spider
