In advanced economies, inflation continues to rise due to the energy shock, but there are still no signs of a wage-price spiral. According to survey data, price pressure indicators edged higher with the exception of Japan. In emerging economies, inflation increased moderately due to the energy shock. As for commodity prices, they have been falling since the announcement of the agreement protocol between the United States and Iran.
The energy shock triggered by the war in Iran is reviving inflation, but to a lesser extent than in 2022. May data supports this view. However, the situation still needs to be monitored closely. The U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding provides some relief, yet many uncertainties remain. A return to normal conditions on the oil markets will take time, and the current easing of oil prices must prove durable. Inflation—driven by the lagged effects of tensions on oil, commodities and value chains—is expected to stay elevated for several more months. This will justify a more restrictive stance from central banks.
Until the agreement extending the ceasefire (second half of June), European oil and gas prices had reacted more strongly to the energy shock caused by the war in the Middle East than they had to the shock that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This is no longer the case now that the prospects for a resumption of traffic through the strait of Hormuz are becoming more tangible.
The memorandum of understanding reached between the United States and Iran certainly provides a degree of relief, but it remains shrouded in too much uncertainty to fundamentally change the situation—at least in the short term. The recent fall in oil prices is good news, but it needs to be maintained over the long term, while the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz faces numerous constraints. A return to normal will take time. This headwind to growth is diminishing, which reinforces our resilience scenario. Inflation is likely to remain elevated for some time yet due to the lagged effects of tensions on oil and other commodity prices
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The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz to traffic. The oil markets reacted swiftly: Brent prices have fallen by around 7% since the announcement and by 32% from a peak reached on 29 April. However, they remain 27% above the average for January. Despite this optimism, a comeback to normality for the oil market is likely to take several weeks.
Advanced economies proved resilient in 2025 despite a tariff shock that disrupted global trade. By early 2026, they were on track for faster growth and lower inflation. A fresh shock linked to the war in the Middle East, however, is reigniting inflation while slowing growth. This mix primarily reflects the impact of a likely decline in purchasing power on consumer spending. However, many of the factors that underpinned 2025 growth — AI development, higher defense spending (especially in Europe), and continued trade growth — are set to persist in 2026. They would be reinforced by an acceleration of electrification, against a backdrop of rising oil prices and an AI-driven rise in electricity demand.
Inflation continues to rise globally, in both advanced and emerging economies, and remains largely driven by energy prices.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz over the past two and a half months has significantly reduced the amount of oil available globally. The use of regional bypass, and the release of commercial stocks and strategic reserves are only partial and temporary solutions. Without the restoration of oil flows through the strait, the growing shortfall in petroleum products will accelerate the rise in oil prices and destruction in global oil demand.
Will the same causes produce the same effects? In other words, will the war in Iran and the resulting surge in oil and gas prices lead to an inflationary shock comparable to that seen in 2022? Will their negative effects on growth be the same as those for the war in Ukraine and the subsequent energy shock? Although there are similarities, there are many uncertainties.
The growing loss of barrels available on the market due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, repeated attacks on production capacity in the Gulf, and restrictions on traffic through the Strait increase the risk of a physical oil shortage in the short term. This has led to a sharp reaction in the prices of physical barrels (dated Brent). In recent weeks, better pricing of this risk of shortage has caused the prices of futures (Brent) to converge with that of the physical barrel (dated Brent). Furthermore, the sharp rise in oil exports from the United States and, to a lesser extent, the decline in Chinese imports have eased tensions in the physical market and pushed prices lower.
