Economy

The Strait of Hormuz is widely understood as an oil chokepoint — but it also controls the flow of naphtha, the feedstock behind most of the world's plastic resins. When conflict disrupted the strait in early 2026, prices for polyethylene and polypropylene surged to multi-year highs, naphtha margins quadrupled, and up to half of global PE supply was knocked offline or constrained. The effects landed hardest on Asia and Europe, with full recovery unlikely before 2027. The piece argues that plastic inflation is, at its root, a geopolitical story — one most consumers haven't been told yet.

The Strait of Hormuz is sowing uncertainty in global markets reliant on Middle-Eastern oil.

The ruling represents a massive shift in the balance of power between the White House and Congress regarding trade policy.

AI poses an existential threat to the global economy.

A look at where American manufacturing stands heading into 2026 — trends, challenges, and opportunities for industrial producers.