Strait of Hormuz Will Not Normalize Under IRGC Control
Markets price Hormuz as resolved while IRGC throttles inbound tankers and keeps 7–8 mb/d shut-in
An MOU has effectively left the IRGC in control of the Strait of Hormuz. Outbound tanker volumes look recovery-like because Iran is releasing stranded cargoes, but inbound VLCCs remain a trickle, so production shut-in of roughly 7–8 mb/d continues. Permit throttling during negotiations, elevated transit rates, and crew risk keep flows constrained. China remains the swing variable; a lift of product-export bans could restore crude buying, firm timespreads, and force a short squeeze against max Brent shorts.
| Instrument | Side | Target | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| USO | Long | Persistent Hormuz shut-in without adequate inbound VLCC traffic leaves a structural crude deficit while Brent sits near $77 with extreme short positioning, favoring broad oil upside. | |
| UCO | Long | Leverage amplifies a binary oil setup in which IRGC flow control and potential Chinese crude restocking can reverse weak timespreads and trigger CTA covering. | |
| BNO | Long | Brent is the cleanest expression of Middle East supply risk, elevated cracks, and inventory draws while the market still prices a false return to pre-conflict Hormuz flows. |
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