WS #6492

The US-Iran confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz is ESCALATING further, with Iran claiming missile strikes on a US warship and the Pentagon denying any ship was struck. Oil prices surged, with Brent exceeding $126/barrel, before paring gains after Washington denied the strike claim. The US launched 'Project Freedom' to guide trapped ships, while Iran warned it would attack any foreign armed forces entering the Strait. The UAE announced its withdrawal from OPEC, a significant shift in energy policy. Separately, Amazon launched a new supply chain service, sending FedEx and UPS shares lower. Anthropic confirmed a deal to launch an enterprise AI services business. The Pentagon released a $400 million military aid package for Ukraine. Powell signaled inflation may persist for two more quarters, keeping rate cuts on hold.