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Middle East war: global economic fallout Paris, France, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2026 Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war:
Brent crude was up 3.3 percent at $112.19 a barrel while West Texas Intermediate rose by 2.3 percent to $98.32.
"Currently, Iran basically has no surplus crude oil left on the water or for supply in other international markets, and the US Treasury secretary's statement is solely aimed at giving hope to buyers," Iranian oil ministry spokesman Saman Ghoddoosi wrote on X.
Kharg, around 30 kilometres (19 miles) off the Iranian mainland, handles almost all of Iran's crude exports.
Several refinery units were shut down, the official Kuwait News Agency reported. The Kuwaiti army later said that the fire was brought under control. Iranian authorities had vowed to retaliate after an Israeli strike on Wednesday damaged its South Pars gas field, which draws on the world's biggest known gas reserve and is vital for domestic supplies.
Southeast Asian countries have borne the brunt of surging diesel prices following strikes against energy infrastructure in Iran and the Gulf states. The increase has seen the price of regular petrol and diesel rise more than 50 and 70 percent respectively since the conflict began.
The package's 80 measures include cuts to the value-added tax on gas and fuel, which could lower prices at the pump by up to 30 cents per litre. Sanchez also said the government would cap the maximum price of butane and propane, and slash electricity taxes by 60 percent.
Excise taxes will be cut by an additional 40 percent, following a previous 20 percent reduction just a week ago.
The yield on Britain's 10-year government bonds reached levels not seen since the global financial crisis in 2008, as investors sold on worries that spiking inflation could hammer government finances. Yields on French and German government bonds were also higher, as were yields on US government bonds, which hit their highest levels since mid-2025.
The price of jet fuel has doubled since the outbreak of the war, rising much more than the price of crude oil. burs-aha/js |
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