What could happen to global oil prices if Hormuz was blocked?
Posted on Feb 28, 2026 / Travel
If shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was seriously disrupted or blocked for any length of time, oil markets would likely go into shock and prices could spike sharply. Because roughly 20 % of global oil supply flows through it, buyers from Asia to Europe depend on that route for affordable crude. A sudden halt would mean supplies tighten quickly, so benchmarks like Brent crude could climb dramatically as traders factor in scarcity risks. Historically, even threats of closure have sent futures markets higher and raised costs for gasoline and energy in consumer markets. Countries with strategic petroleum reserves might tap those stocks to soften the blow, and other producers like Saudi Arabia might boost output if possible. But there’s no simple replacement for the volume that passes through Hormuz by sea, so global energy prices would feel the impact fast. That’s why governments, shipping firms, and consumers all watch the strait’s status closely whenever regional tensions rise.
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