Trump Orders Strait of Hormuz Blockade After Failed Iran Talks; Markets Tumble
President Trump has ordered a full U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz effective Monday following collapsed peace negotiations in Islamabad. The geopolitical escalation immediately rattled global markets as energy prices surged. South Korea's KOSPI fell 1.9% with Samsung Electronics dropping over 3%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 declined as investors fled to safety. The blockade threatens to disrupt critical energy supplies, with European natural gas and oil prices jumping sharply in early Asia trading. Japanese government bond yields hit historic highs at 1.9% as markets price in prolonged geopolitical instability and inflationary pressures. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have declared the blockade an act of war, raising risks of military escalation.
MA
Monday, April 13, 2026 at 10:40 AM
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