A glut of polyethylene had squeezed U.S. producers for years. But the war in the Middle East disrupted the global plastics market, sending prices higher and improving margins for producers along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is (once again) essentially halted.
Despite a major international conflict, markets have remained strong. There’s historical precedent for that.
Experts say there's not enough refining capacity to go around while geopolitical conflict drags on, leading to a supply squeeze.
Tax revenues are coming in higher than expected in states like Alaska and New Mexico as oil prices remain elevated.
Oil prices could have been even higher, but, for now, investors expect Iran and the U.S. to come back to the negotiating table.
As the U.S. war with Iran is rekindled, oil producers are looking for new routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. imports about a third of its fertilizer.
Economists worry that if we expect more inflation we’ll get more inflation.
Blame war in the Middle East for particularly weak sales at gas stations and convenience stores.
