Horizon: Dire Straits
Signals and Insights | 02 May 2026: Dire Straits — The Strait That Won’t Reopen | On the Radar, System Insights, and This Week’s Recommended Reads
In this edition: Signal of the week; on the radar; systemic insights; what I am reading; and one last thing.
Signal of the Week
Dire Straits: The Strait That Won’t Reopen
Despite the ceasefire framework agreed in early April, the world’s most critical maritime chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, remained severely disrupted and highly abnormal for commercial shipping this week, keeping energy markets trapped in geopolitical limbo and the international economy in a heightened state of turbulence. The lack of progress is a big concern, and the diplomatic silence is this week’s strongest signal.