Brent near $95 as Rubio pledges U.S. will protect Hormuz shipping

The latest DOE/EIA report shows diesel prices experiencing their largest weekly jump since the Iran War, adding over 55 cents per gallon in just two weeks. Diesel is now twice the price of Brent crude, highlighting severe imbalances in the global energy market. For operators quoting freight or running fleets, spot diesel rarely reverses this fast, meaning margins are under immediate pressure. Locking fuel surcharge clauses into contracts now is critical to avoid absorbing these costs.

The Section 338 duties apply to a wide variety of products, even if they qualify for duty-free treatment under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. This means any operator importing from Canada faces a sudden 50% cost increase on affected goods. The broad scope catches many items that previously enjoyed tariff-free status, so supply chain and procurement teams need to identify exposure immediately.

Nike is streamlining its online business in China to stabilize pricing and branding and get back to growth. By cutting thousands of third-party distributors, Nike signals that direct digital control is now a margin necessity. For operators selling through third-party online distributors in Asia, this move suggests that platform dependency erodes pricing power and brand consistency. Auditing your channel mix and building direct-to-consumer capabilities may be the next logical step.

Fred Turner, CEO of Curative, describes building a custom CRM in months to replace a $600K Salesforce contract, cutting 80% of SaaS spend. He scaled from 7 to 7,000 employees during COVID, peaking at 26,000 tests/day and 2.5M vaccinations, but lost money on vaccinations. The key takeaway for operators is the feasibility of building internal tools to replace expensive SaaS, especially when scaling fast. Diverse perspectives — military, scientists, developers — helped solve problems creatively.

This new Windows stealer malware targets over 300 applications, including browsers where credentials are stored. It uses AI to profile victims, prioritizing high-value targets and maximizing theft efficiency. For operators, if employees store credentials in browsers on Windows, this AI profiling makes credential exposure materially worse. A browser-credential audit this week is critical to reduce risk.

Over a third of ransomware victims who pay the ransom are re-extorted by the same criminals, and some never saw their files again, according to infosec firm Proofpoint. Paying a ransom no longer ends the incident. Operators must treat the first payment as the start, not the close. Prepare for double extortion before the first payment is ever made.

TSMC has announced $200 billion in investment into U.S. manufacturing since Trump returned to power in 2025. The pressure to produce AI chips domestically is squeezing TSMC's margins due to higher U.S. construction and labor costs. For operators relying on AI chips or hardware, this could mean higher prices or supply constraints as TSMC passes on costs. Monitor chip pricing and lead times closely.

CBRE reports that peak office utilization has reached 80%, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This recovery is driven by attendance policies and better alignment of office space with employee preferences. For operators, this data point gives landlords leverage in lease negotiations, as higher occupancy strengthens their case for higher rents or less favorable terms. If you are negotiating a lease renewal, the window to lock in favorable terms may be closing as this information becomes widely known.

The 30-year Treasury yield is approaching its longest stretch above 5% in 19 years — a milestone last seen in 2007 — signaling persistent inflation concerns and potential economic strain. For operators planning a capital raise, this rare bond-market signal suggests that locking in fixed rates now could protect against further sentiment shifts. Delaying may mean higher borrowing costs as the market adjusts to sustained higher yields.

Oil prices rose almost 4% to a six-week high after 11 consecutive nights of attacks in Iran eliminated hopes for de-escalation. For operators, rising oil prices directly increase transportation and logistics costs. If you rely on shipping or fuel-intensive operations, this trend signals near-term margin pressure. Hedging fuel costs or adjusting pricing strategies now could mitigate the impact.