Blockade and a hard place

A fresh escalation in the Gulf, with Iranian missile attacks on shipping and a U.S. blockade declaration, pushes oil sharply higher and overshadows today's U.S. inflation report. Headline CPI had been forecast to fall below 4%, but with oil re-accelerating, that backward-looking relief may already feel like a moot point. Fed Governor Christopher Waller says core inflation is simply "too high," and markets are now pricing almost a 50% chance of a rate hike as soon as this month. Plus, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh faces Congress for the first time later today. Today’s recommended read: China blunted Iran war oil shock, but can it do the same for fuels?, Clyde Russell Subscribe to Mike Dolan's Morning Bid newsletter, and check out his columns on Reuters Open Interest. Read more from Amanda Cooper and Anna Szymanski Produced by Eliza Davis Beard and Abisoye Adelusi Sound engineering and music by Sebastian and Josh Sommer Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices