Gotrade News - Oil prices surged sharply on Sunday (13/04/2026) after the United States announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude rose approximately 8% to $102.80 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) jumped 8.61% to $104.88 per barrel.
The spike followed the collapse of U.S.-Iran negotiations in Pakistan over the weekend, which ended without a deal. U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated that talks broke down because Iran failed to make a firm commitment to halt its nuclear weapons development, according to reports from Liputan6.
Key Takeaways:
- Brent crude broke through $102.80 per barrel, up 7.98%, while WTI reached $104.88 per barrel, up 8.61% in a single trading session
- The U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz took effect Monday at 10:00 AM New York time, covering all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports across the region
- Around 20% of global oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and tanker traffic dropped dramatically from more than 100 ships per day to just three
The Hormuz Blockade and the Collapse of Peace Talks
The Strait of Hormuz is the narrowest yet most strategically critical maritime passage for global energy trade, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Roughly 20% of all global crude oil supply passes through this chokepoint every day, making it the single most vulnerable link in the world's energy supply chain.
Since armed conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran escalated in late February 2026, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had already fallen well below pre-war levels. Bloomberg Technoz reported that Iran had effectively restricted vessel movement through the strait to a small fraction of normal volume, triggering market anxiety long before the formal blockade announcement.
Last Saturday, only three supertankers managed to transit the strait, each carrying two million barrels of capacity. Prior to the crisis, more than 100 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily, making the sharp drop a supply disruption the global market could not ignore.
The blockade announced by President Trump took effect Monday at 10:00 AM New York time, applying to all ships from all nations without exception. CENTCOM stated the blockade would be enforced uniformly against vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, including those in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, according to reports from Kompas.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard responded with a warning that military vessels approaching the strait would be considered in violation of ceasefire terms. That statement deepened uncertainty and rattled market participants who were already on edge following the failed Pakistan negotiations.
Energy analysts estimate the blockade could hold back roughly two million barrels of Iranian oil per day from global markets, according to Kompas. That volume is large enough to meaningfully tighten global supply and force oil-importing nations to urgently seek alternative routes or sources.
Market Implications and Investor Caution
European natural gas prices also surged as much as 18% following the blockade announcement, reflecting broad panic across global energy markets. The IMF had already warned that global price recovery would take considerable time due to the U.S.-Iran conflict, and Sunday's spike reinforced those concerns.
Oil prices at this level risk pushing up production costs and triggering a fresh wave of inflation globally, including in Indonesia, which still relies heavily on crude oil imports. Fuel price pressure could flow directly into transportation, logistics, aviation, and household consumption across the region.
Malaysia has reportedly been flagged as potentially facing a fuel crisis as early as June 2026 due to supply disruptions from the blockade, according to Kumparan. That development serves as a concrete warning signal for all of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, which is also geographically dependent on the same regional energy distribution routes.
President Trump himself acknowledged that oil and gasoline prices would likely remain elevated through the November midterm elections, according to Kompas. That statement signals the energy price pressure is not a brief spike but a condition that could persist for months.
Shares of major energy companies like Exxon Mobil stock and Chevron stock tend to benefit from rising oil prices in the short term, as their profit margins are directly lifted by higher selling prices. That said, investors should closely monitor escalation risks, which can create further volatility even within the energy sector.
ConocoPhillips stock and other independent oil producers could post higher margins if oil prices hold above $100 per barrel over the medium term. For investors who want exposure to this dynamic without picking individual stocks, the USO crude oil ETF and the energy sector ETF offer more diversified alternatives.
It is worth noting that price spikes driven by geopolitical tension tend to be far less stable than gains driven by solid underlying demand. Investors considering energy sector exposure are advised to understand the investment risks involved, especially in a conflict situation where developments are difficult to predict from one day to the next.
Reference: Bloomberg Technoz, Kompas, MetroTV, Liputan6, Kumparan
