Iran and Oman draft agreement on passing through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. stock markets briefly turn higher.

As the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, the control and passage mechanism around the Strait of Hormuz are becoming core variables in the global energy market. Reports indicate that Iran and Oman are drafting a new shipping control agreement, while military conflicts in the region further intensify, causing dual impacts on market sentiment and oil price trends. According to Iranian state media, Iran and Oman are studying the establishment of a "passage monitoring mechanism", requiring ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to undergo coordination and supervision from both countries. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Gharib Abadi stated that this arrangement aims to "ensure safe navigation and improve service efficiency", rather than restrict passage. This news quickly affected financial markets. Previously, due to US President Trump's implications that military actions against Iran may continue for weeks, major US stock indexes fell sharply; however, after the news of a possible coordination mechanism in the strait, market sentiment improved significantly, US stocks stopped falling and rose again, with the three main indexes turning positive after initially falling, with the Nasdaq falling by 2% at the opening. Oil prices also retreated from their intraday highs. However, geopolitical conflicts are still escalating. On April 2nd, a key transportation infrastructure in Karaji, Iran, the Beyek Bridge, was damaged by a US attack. The bridge is an important pathway connecting Tehran and Karaji, and is considered one of Iran's landmark projects. The attack caused damage to the bridge structure, road closures, and partial regional power outages, further escalating tensions in the region. At the same time, changes are occurring in the energy market structure. Data shows that after the US partially eased sanctions on Iran, Iranian crude oil prices saw a rare premium. In late March, Iranian crude oil exports were selling for about $1 per barrel more than Brent crude, compared to a discount of about $10 per barrel earlier in the year under full sanctions. Analysts point out that this change reflects Iran's use of its influence over the Strait of Hormuz to reshape the trade landscape. With global supply tightening and Brent crude oil prices hovering around $107 per barrel, the market is willing to pay a premium for "flowable" crude oil. By restricting transportation from some Gulf countries while ensuring its own crude oil exports, Iran has effectively created a regional transportation bottleneck, pushing up global oil prices and enhancing its oil competitiveness. Shipping data shows that oil tankers related to Iran continue to transport crude oil through this strategic waterway and perform loading and unloading operations through floating oil storage facilities, maintaining their export capabilities.