The near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has propelled crude prices to record levels. Around 10:30 a.m., Brent crude jumped nearly 25% to reach 105.15 dollars, crossing the 100 USD threshold for the first time since 2022. WTI is climbing more than 10% to 101.58 USD.

This surge, although anticipated by analysts, poses a heavy inflationary threat. Investors are now questioning the sustainability of this shock: a simple passing peak or a lasting economic crisis?

For Goldman Sachs, the 100 USD mark represents a critical breaking point. Beyond this level, "demand destruction" is observed, where consumption drops in the face of unbearable prices. The bank's forecasts are grim: a 0.4% decrease in global growth and a 0.7-point rise in inflation, likely forcing central banks to further tighten their monetary policies.

Airlines in the Red

Regarding this conflict, furthermore, in an interview granted to the Times of Israel this Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that the end of the war in Iran will depend on a "mutual" decision made with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Having begun on February 28, the military intervention by American and Israeli forces on Iranian soil continues without an official timetable. The U.S. administration's silence on the planned duration of the fighting is heightening international concern.

"The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are capable of continuing at least six months of intense war at the current pace of operations," stated Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini, as quoted by the Fars news agency.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's former Supreme Leader, who was killed last Saturday by American and Israeli strikes, has been officially named as the successor.

Concerning the clashes, Gulf countries reported new missile and drone attacks yesterday, including Kuwait on the "vital" fuel tanks of its airport. Attacks were also reported by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with the latter stating it had been the target of ten ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles the previous day.

Furthermore, an attack carried out at dawn on Sunday against a downtown hotel resulted in four fatalities and ten injuries. While the Lebanese Ministry of Health confirms the human toll, Israel claims a targeted operation against Revolutionary Guard cadres.

Following the stalemate in the Iran-U.S. conflict, airline stocks are in sharp decline, with Air France-KLM and Lufthansa falling by nearly 5%. Ryanair is retreating by approximately 3%.

In addition to the still-palpable geopolitical tensions, in corporate news, Ipsen announced the voluntary withdrawal of Tazverik (tazemetostat) from the markets where it is marketed, in all indications. This withdrawal, however, "is not expected to have an impact on the company's financial forecasts."

For its part, Capgemini has signed an agreement to acquire Piterion, an independent player in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM). Piterion is recognized for its ability to interconnect critical industrial systems and operate the most complex PLM environments.

Worldline announced the launch of a reserved capital increase of approximately 108 million euros, which will be subscribed by three strategic investors: Bpifrance Participations, Crédit Agricole, and BNP Paribas. This operation will result in the issuance of 39,287,272 new ordinary shares at a unit price of 2.75 EUR, to be subscribed by Bpifrance Participations for approximately 46 million euros, Crédit Agricole for approximately 30 million euros, and BNP Paribas for approximately 32 million euros.

In Europe, Havas announced on Monday that it has acquired the Berlin-based agency Styleheads, specializing in cultural marketing, for an undisclosed amount, thus continuing its policy of targeted small-scale acquisitions.