China's Lithium Battery Exports Surge 50% in Q1 Ahead of Tax Rebate Cut

The Panama Canal Effect of the Port of Hormuz: Companies pay up to $4 million to get ahead of the Panama Canal

Since the stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz, global shipping companies have increasingly rerouted through the Panama Canal; without a reservation, participation must be won through auction bidding, with the highest bid reaching about $4 million. Case examples show that a ship originally bound for Europe with fuel was rerouted to Singapore, resulting in additional costs of up to $4 million. The insurance industry also classifies Hormuz as a high-risk war zone, making it difficult to return to the 2025 level in the near term; Panama has also protested Iran’s detention of MSC Francesca.

Citigroup Raises 2026 Brent Crude Price Forecasts, Eyes $150/Barrel if Hormuz Disruptions Persist

Gate News message, April 27 — Citigroup raised its price forecasts for Brent crude oil (the international benchmark for crude oil pricing) for the remainder of 2026 on Sunday evening. The bank now projects average prices of $110 per barrel for Q2, $95 per barrel for Q3, and $80 per barrel for

Whale Deposits $2M USDC to HyperLiquid, Opens Leveraged Short Positions on Oil

Gate News message, a whale deposited $2 million USDC into HyperLiquid and opened short positions of 21,000 BRENTOIL and 19,000 CL with 3x leverage.

Goldman Sachs Raises Q4 Oil Price Forecasts to $90/Barrel Brent, $83/Barrel WTI Amid Middle East Supply Tightness

Gate News message, April 27 — Goldman Sachs raised its fourth-quarter oil price forecasts on April 26, citing supply tightness in the Middle East. The bank now expects Brent crude oil (London benchmark) to reach $90 per barrel and WTI crude oil (U.S. benchmark) to reach $83 per barrel, up from

Powell’s final dance? Middle East conflict pushes inflation higher; the Fed is expected to hold steady this week

This week, central banks around the world announced their interest-rate decisions, and the market expects the Federal Reserve to keep rates unchanged. The conflict in the Middle East has escalated; shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted, pushing up energy and raw material prices and increasing global inflation pressure. As a result, central banks are taking a cautious wait-and-see approach. The estimated U.S. GDP is 2.2% annualized, and PCE has risen, indicating that economic resilience and inflation are coexisting. The market generally believes that the Fed will maintain interest rates. Powell may be hosting for the last time during his tenure, and the Warsh appointment path is also affected by the DOJ incident.

Iran Proposes Priority Agreement on Strait of Hormuz, Delays Nuclear Talks with U.S.

Gate News message, April 27 — Iran has proposed a new initiative to the United States prioritizing an agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting maritime blockades, while postponing nuclear negotiations to a later stage, according to AXIOS citing a U.S. official and two informed sources