So, is Trump "winning" the war... yet again... as Iran says "No" to terms again?

[yulbsari]

https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/us-iran-conflict-flares-again-american-strikes-trigger-missile-retaliation-as-peace-talks-falter/ar-AA24zftM

[BonzoInBitburg]

He's been saying the US won the war and a deal is eminent for a couple months now while the Iranians keep saying they aren't close to a deal. Does anyone still believe Trump? He clearly can't negotiate shit.

[DryGermanGuy]

It’s almost funny… but it’s not. 😡🤦‍♂️

https://youtu.be/xoHsosBXukA?si=En9zirgeR10Szk2N

[Just_Ken]

Lockheed Martin:Stock price increased nearly 40% in early 2026 as tensions escalated.

RTX (formerly Raytheon):Shares surged 4.7% on the first day of the war alone. Achieved a 110% stock price increase over a three-year trajectory leading into March 2026.

BAE Systems:Value skyrocketed to a historic peak share price of £23.31 in March 2026.

Northrop Grumman & General Dynamics: Their multi-year stock trajectories grew 60% and 57% respectively by March 2026.

The world’s top oil and gas companies collectively reaped an unearned $30 million an hour ($8,333 a second) in the initial wake of the conflict, with six major firms projected to secure $94 billion in total profits for 2026.

Fertilizer companies are seeing massive profit windfalls from the war in Iran, with giants like CF Industries and Nutrien reporting nearly 20% jumps in recent quarterly sales. The conflict and Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz choked off vital global supplies, driving prices up by 50% to 80%.

[Just_Ken]

U. S. Crude to China: U. S. crude exports to China plunged significantly, dropping by 95% from 2023 levels to 8.4 million barrels in 2025, and stopping entirely from May 2025 through early 2026 due to a 20% import tariff.

Recent Developments: Following a mid-May 2026 bilateral summit, President Trump announced that China agreed to resume buying U. S. crude oil to reduce dependence on Middle Eastern supply routes choked by the war.

Global Context: Overall, the U. S. has ramped up total oil exports to record highs (surpassing 5.2 million barrels a day) to offset global shortages caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure.

[Just_Ken]

The US-Iran war has completely disrupted global energy markets, blocking Persian Gulf energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz and driving US crude exports to a historic record high of 5.6 million barrels per day (bpd) to supply desperate European and Asian buyers. Meanwhile, the blockade has paralyzed Europe’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chain, forcing the European Union (EU) to aggressively compete for alternative gas cargoes to refill depleted domestic storages.

Global Oil Market ImpactsUS Exports Hit Records: Driven by the Middle East crisis, US crude exports spiked to an all-time high of 5.6 million bpd. Nearly 47% of these exports (2.4 million bpd) sailed toward European countries like the Netherlands, France, Germany, Greece, and Bulgaria. Price Surges: The loss of Middle Eastern barrels pushed prompt delivery physical crude prices in Europe toward $150 a barrel. Brent futures jumped above $96 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded past $92 a barrel following a breakdown in US-Iran communication.

Iran Export Redirection: Prior to the recent escalation, more than 90% of Iran’s 1.5 million bpd crude exports went strictly to China. However, maritime blockades have throttled a total of 10 million bpd of Gulf energy flows.

[Just_Ken]

The Strait of Hormuz Chokepoint: Roughly 20% of global LNG trade is trapped behind the strait. This has completely cut off Qatari LNG supplies, which historically accounted for 7% of Europe's winter gas imports.

Depleted Storage Vulnerability: The EU entered the spring refilling season with significantly lower gas inventories than previous years, sitting at just 40% to 46% capacity.

Skyrocketing Costs: To meet mandatory winter storage targets of 80% to 90%, the EU faces an estimated €25 billion to €38 billion in extra costs for US LNG. This creates intense competition with Asian buyers for flexible spot market cargoes.