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How the Strait of Hormuz Crisis Is Hitting Your Wallet Right Now

Published May 17, 2026  |  Category: Oil Prices & Energy  |  By MoneySavings.ca If you've winced lately at the gas pump or noticed your grocery bill creeping up, you're not imagining it. A geopolitical crisis unfolding halfway around the world — at a narrow strip of water between Iran and Oman — is directly squeezing Canadian budgets. Here's everything you need to know, and what you can do about it. What Is the Strait of Hormuz? The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway just 33 kilometres wide at its tightest point, connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Despite its modest size, it is the world's single most critical energy chokepoint. Before this crisis, roughly 20 million barrels of oil moved through it every single day — about 20% of all the world's seaborne oil supply, plus significant volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Think of it as the world's energy jugular vein. When it gets blocked, the entire planet feels it. What Happened? On Februa...
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Stock Market Today: Tokyo’s Nikkei Leads Asian Gains Following Wall Street Rally

 


World shares advanced today, with Asian markets tracking Wall Street’s rally. The standout performer was Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which surged 2.4%. This impressive gain was powered by strong performances from semiconductor makers. Here are the key highlights:

  1. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225: The Japanese stock market index gained more than 900 points, closing at 38,460.08, its highest level in a month. Notably, shares in computer chip companies like Renesas Electronics Corp. (up 10.5%) and Tokyo Electronic (up 7.1%) contributed significantly to this rally.

  2. Greater China: Shares in Greater China also rallied. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 2%, while the Hang Seng Tech Index gained 3.1%. Chinese artificial intelligence company Sensetime Group saw its shares surge by 31.2% after releasing the latest version of its SenseNova generative AI model.

  3. South Korea: The Kospi index in South Korea rose by 1.9%, led by a 3.4% gain in heavyweight Samsung Electronics.

  4. Australia: Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index edged up by 0.1% following the release of a fifth consecutive quarter of decelerating inflation. The consumer price index for the first quarter eased to 3.6% from the previous 4.1%.

  5. U.S. Markets: On Tuesday, the S&P 500 climbed 1.2% to 5,070.55, pulling further out of the hole created by a six-day losing streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.7% to 38,503.69, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.6% to 15,696.64. A weaker-than-expected report on U.S. business activity helped support the market, which remains in an awkward phase.

The hope on Wall Street is for the economy to avoid a severe recession but not to stay so hot that it keeps upward pressure on inflation. A preliminary report from S&P Global seemed to hit that sweet spot, and Treasury yields eased in the bond market Earnings reports also played a significant role in trading, with several companies exceeding analysts’ expectations. For instance, GE Aerospace saw an 8.3% increase after raising its profit forecast for the full year and beating first-quarter earnings expectations.

In summary, global shares are riding the momentum of Wall Street’s rally, and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 stands out as a key driver in today’s market surge.

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