Oil Surges 11% as Hormuz Tensions Reshape the Energy Map

There's an old saying in the shipping industry: the Strait of Hormuz is less a waterway than a pressure valve. When it's open, nobody thinks about it. When it's closed — or even might close — the whole world remembers it exists. On April 4th, 2026, the whole world remembered.

West Texas Intermediate crude — the North American benchmark for oil pricing — jumped 11.15% in a single session, closing at $137.92 a barrel. That's not a typo, and it's not a monthly move. It happened…