Iran oil shock splits the world as exporters pocket windfall and importers buckle

Nearly two weeks into the Iran war, as oil prices surge and the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, a clear pattern is emerging in global markets as energy exporters prosper while import-dependent economies count the cost. On one side, Gulf states and energy exporters see higher prices, though sharply curtailed production means the revenue windfall is less straightforward than the headline price surge implies. On the other, energy-hungry economies across Asia and Europe are facing a brutal squeeze of higher import bills, rising inflation and tumbling stock markets. The scale of the divide is laid bare by CountryETFTracker’s Iran…