WS #6491

The US-Iran confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz is ESCALATING further, with multiple sources reporting that Iran fired missiles at a US warship and expanded its blockade to UAE ports. However, the Pentagon denies any ship was struck, and Treasury Secretary Bessent stated the US has 'absolute control' of the Strait, opening it up. Oil prices surged, with Brent exceeding $120/barrel for the first time since June 2022, 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. Separately, Amazon launched a new supply chain service, sending FedEx and UPS shares lower. Anthropic formed a $1.5B consulting JV with Wall Street titans. The ECB warned of recession risks from the Middle East conflict. Trump named Kevin Warsh as new Fed Chair, with Powell remaining on the Board. The US is withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, escalating transatlantic tensions. A suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has left 3 dead.