On Thursday, news from the Strait of Hormuz once again hit the markets. Media reported gunfire at an Iranian oil tanker by U.S. military forces. After that, oil prices fell, and cryptocurrencies also began to drop.
Iranian media soon wrote that Tehran responded by launching missiles at U.S. ships near the strait.
Washington did not deny the tanker incident itself, but called the information about damage to U.S. warships unreliable.
The Market Tenses Again Over Iran Conflict
In Tehran, the events are already being called a response to U.S. actions.
The American side gives a different version of events. They claim that the tanker was first warned with warning shots. Later, the vessel had to be disabled. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the main routes for oil shipments. Any news of problems in this area immediately affects prices.
The Crypto Market Quickly Turned Negative After Oil
Next, pressure hit cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin and major altcoins quickly dropped as some traders began to cut risky positions.
Later, the situation stabilized somewhat after oil rebounded from local lows. Some analysts believe that for now, the market is reacting more emotionally than to real supply risks.
Brent Price Dynamics. Source: TradingView
Now investors are trying to understand how far this story around the Strait of Hormuz could go. Part of the market still hopes that it will be limited to a local clash and there will be no serious problems with oil supplies.
At the same time, the drop in oil was a surprise even for some analysts. Many expected that threats to supply would instead push prices up.
See Also: The Crypto Market Goes Mainstream, Industry Shifts From Speculation to Infrastructure
Now markets are closely watching new statements from the U.S. and Iran. Any news about shipping problems through the Strait of Hormuz could once again sharply shake oil, stocks, and cryptocurrencies.
