which countries will be hit the most

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Commercial ships anchor off the coast of the United Arab Emirates due to navigation disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Dubai on March 2, 2026.

Anadolu | Getty Images

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is sending shockwaves across global energy markets, with Asia expected to face the maximum pain.

A senior commander from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Monday that the Strait of Hormuz had been shut and warned that any vessel attempting to transit the waterway would be targeted, Iranian media reported.

Located between Oman and Iran, the Strait functions as a vital artery for global oil trade. Roughly 13 million barrels per day passed through it in 2025, representing about 31% of all seaborne crude flows, according to energy consulting firm Kpler.

A prolonged closure of the Strait would likely lead to a further surge in oil prices, with some analysts seeing oil crossing $100 per barrel. Global benchmark Brent was last up 2.6% at around $80 per barrel —almost 10% higher since the conflict broke out.

About 20% of global liquefied natural gas exports that come from the Gulf are also at risk, primarily those originating from Qatar and shipped via the Strait of Hormuz, according to Kpler. Qatar, one of the world’s largest providers of LNG, halted production on Monday after Iranian drones hit its facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City.

“In Asia, Thailand, India, Korea and the Philippines are the most vulnerable to higher oil prices, due to their high import dependence, while Malaysia would be a relative beneficiary since it is an energy exporter,” Nomura wrote in a note on Monday.

Here’s how those reliant on Gulf energy and shipments via the Strait of Hormuz stand to be impacted.

South Asia: immediate physical strain

South Asia would face the most acute disruption, particularly when it comes to supplies of LNG, analysts said.

Qatar and the UAE account for 99% of Pakistan’s LNG imports, 72% of Bangladesh’s, and 53% of India’s, according to Kpler data.

With limited storage and procurement flexibility, Pakistan and Bangladesh are especially vulnerable. For one, Bangladesh is already running a significant structural gas deficit. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, the country is running a shortfall of more than 1,300 million cubic feet per day.

“Pakistan and Bangladesh have limited storage and procurement flexibility, meaning disruption would likely trigger fast power-sector demand destruction rather than aggressive spot bidding,” Katayama said.

India faces the largest combined exposure in the region. “More than half of its LNG imports are Gulf-linked, and a significant share is Brent-indexed, so a Hormuz-driven crude spike would simultaneously lift oil import costs and LNG contract prices. That creates a dual physical and financial shock,” he said.

Similarly, about 60% of India’s oil imports come from the Middle East, according to UBP. A sustained blockade would therefore amplify both energy import costs and current-account pressures.

China: large exposure but sufficient buffer

A Hormuz closure would test China’s energy security, but stockpiles and alternative supply offer some buffer.

The country is the world’s largest crude oil importer, and purchases over 80% of Iranian oil, according to Kpler.

Around 30% of its LNG imports come from Qatar and the UAE, and roughly 40% of its oil imports pass through Hormuz, UBP estimates.

“China is materially exposed but more flexible,” Kpler’s Katayama said.

According to Kpler, China’s LNG inventories as of end-February stand at 7.6 million tons, providing short-term cover. However, China would need to compete for Atlantic cargoes if the outage persists, tightening the Pacific basin, Katayama added. In which case, the dynamic could intensify price competition across Asia even if Beijing avoids outright shortages.

Saudi Arabia has increased crude loadings in recent weeks, and strategic petroleum reserves held by major consuming nations like China, could provide some temporary cushioning to the market, Rystad Energy said in a note on Sunday.

UBP said that while China is a key net energy importer in the region, it is not necessarily the most vulnerable to potential supply shocks.

Japan and South Korea

The Middle East supplies 75% of Japan’s oil imports and around 70% of Korea’s, according to UBP.

For LNG, their Gulf exposure is lower than South Asia’s. South Korea sources 14% of its LNG from Qatar and the UAE, while Japan sources 6%, Kpler estimates.

Even without outright shortages, price effects could be severe. “Economies with high energy import reliance such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are more exposed to supply shocks,” said Shier lee Lim, lead macro and FX strategist of APAC at payments platform Convera.

Inventories are also limited. Korea holds about 3.5 million tons of LNG and Japan around 4.4 million tons in reserves, enough for roughly two to four weeks of stable demand, according to Kpler.

South Korea’s net oil imports are 2.7% of GDP, with Nomura flagging it amongst the most vulnerable on the current-account front.

Southeast Asia

Across much of Southeast Asia, the first-order hit is cost inflation rather than an immediate shortage, said industry experts.

Spot-reliant LNG buyers would face sharply higher replacement costs as Asia competes with Europe for Atlantic cargoes, said Kpler’s Katayama.

Thailand especially is a standout oil-price loser in Nomura’s framework because the external hit is large and immediate: it has the biggest net oil imports in Asia at 4.7% of GDP, and each 10% oil price rise worsens the current account by around 0.5 percentage point of the country’s GDP.

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Oracle (ORCL) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here’s Why

In the latest close session, Oracle (ORCL) was down 1.44% at $244.58. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 0.13% for the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.45%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.03%.

The stock of software maker has risen by 37.64% in the past month, leading the Computer and Technology sector’s gain of 11.37% and the S&P 500’s gain of 5.25%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Oracle in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company’s earnings report is set to go public on June 10, 2026. On that day, Oracle is projected to report earnings of $1.96 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 15.29%. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $19.09 billion, up 20.03% from the prior-year quarter.

In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $7.46 per share and a revenue of $67.22 billion, indicating changes of +23.71% and +17.11%, respectively, from the former year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Oracle. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.

Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.01% lower. Oracle is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Oracle is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 31.06. This signifies a premium in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 16.76 for its industry.

It is also worth noting that ORCL currently has a PEG ratio of 1.8. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock’s expected earnings growth rate. The Computer – Software was holding an average PEG ratio of 1.69 at yesterday’s closing price.

The Computer – Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 158, putting it in the bottom 36% of all 250+ industries.

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Recipients need to prove they work or volunteer – NBC4 Washington

Big changes are coming to a federal program that has been helping low-income families pay for food for generations.

The changes could mean millions of Americans will no longer receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Starting Monday, June 1, the federal government will require certain people who receive SNAP benefits to show they are either working or volunteering for community services.

In D.C., more than 130,000 residents rely on SNAP benefits to feed their families. According to District officials, about 18,000 are at risk of losing those benefits as the Trump administration will begin enforcing work requirements Monday.

“We want to help people avoid losing benefits when that’s possible. And for that, there are three paths that we’re trying to create,” D.C. City Administrator Kevin Donahue said. “One is work requirements, so people work. That’s generally about 20 hours a week or 80 hours a month. One is work training. So they’re in a training program. Also, they have to do that about 80 hours a month or 20 hours a week. And the final one that’s very intriguing that other states have looked at is a volunteer program. You’re allowed to volunteer. The requirement for that is about eight hours a week. So it’s less than being in training or work.”

While the new requirements will affect millions of people across the country, most SNAP recipients will be exempt. Those covered by exemptions include:

anyone under age 18, or age 65 or older
residents with mental or physical health conditions, including pregnancy
those who are already working 30 hours per week or already enrolled in school
caregivers

While the requirements will take effect on June 1, recipients have three months to come into compliance, so nobody is in danger of losing benefits until sometime in September.

This isn’t the only big change for the millions of Americans who rely on assistance from the federal government; starting Jan. 1, 2027, Medicaid recipients will be held to similar work requirements. It’s estimated as many as 5 million Americans could lose their Medicaid coverage as a result.

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Quiet start to the week; rain, heat, humidity return by this weekend

Conditions will be warm and quiet to kick off the work week before shower and thunderstorm chances ramp up bringing more heat and humidity back to the area by this weekend and next week.

Today and Tuesday will be on the quiet side with mostly sunny skies today and partly cloudy skies on Tuesday. Temperatures both days will hover in the low-80s across the area with relatively light winds averaging between 5 and 15 mph with occasional gusts up to 20 mph possible on Tuesday. Tuesday night will become mostly cloudy heading into Wednesday morning. Overnight temperatures will be comfortable, dropping into the upper-50s by Tuesday morning and by Wednesday morning.

Wednesday will then be mostly cloudy and warm as temperatures once again top out in the low-80s. Winds will be on the breezy side, hovering between 15 and 20 mph, gusts up to 30 mph possible. Showers and thunderstorms are projected to move into the area after midnight as temperatures start dropping into the mid-60s by Thursday morning.

From there, we are looking at scattered shower and thunderstorm chances throughout Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Despite the cloudy skies and rain chances, temperatures over those three days will remain warm, topping out in the low-80s on Thursday and the mid-80s for Friday and Saturday. Winds through the three days will hover between 5 and 15 mph with occasional gusts up to 20 mph possible at times. Overnight temperatures are projected to drop into the mid-60s by the following mornings with showers and thunderstorms continuing on and off.

Rain chances are projected to wrap up throughout Saturday afternoon but isolated chances may remain in the forecast throughout Sunday. Once these rain chances taper off, humidity will ramp back up across the area along with temperatures. This will lead to hot and humid conditions with heat index values likely well into the 90s for nearly all of next week. It is important to remember to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and by taking breaks from the heat and sun by cooling off in air conditioned buildings. Remember that swimming, whether you’re in a pool or at the beach, is not staying hydrated or considered taking a break from the heat as you are still out in the hot and humid conditions in general.

Sunday will then be partly cloudy with a few isolated showers possible as temperatures hover in the upper-80s. With the humidity in the mix, it will likely feel more like the low to mid-90s across the area. Winds will bring a pleasant but warm breeze to the area, coming from the southeast between 10 and 15 mph, gusts up to 20 mph possible. Sunday night will remain partly cloudy as temperatures drop into the upper-60s by Monday morning.

Monday will basically be a repeat of Sunday with partly cloudy skies, highs in the upper-80s, and heat index values likely in the low to mid-90s. Winds will also be pleasant but warm, coming from the southeast between 10 and 15 mph, gusts up to 20 mph at times possible. Monday night will gradually become mostly clear as temperatures drop into the upper-60s and low-70s by Tuesday morning.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be the hottest days of next week so far. We are looking at highs in the upper-80s and low-90s with heat index values likely in the mid, possibly upper-90s across the area. Winds will be light from the south, southeast between 5 and 15 mph. Overnight conditions are expected to remain mostly clear and quiet as temperatures drop into the low-70s by the following mornings.

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