With the war in the Middle East, Israel and the United States have triggered an international economic crisis.

Wall Street dropped Friday, and WTI oil exceeded 100 dollars
New York Stock Exchange dropped on Friday, concerned about the extension of the war in the Middle East and its effects on inflation and economic growth, with the Dow Jones index losing 1.73% and the broader S&P 500 index 1.67%, while the Nasdaq, with a strong technological composition, plummeted 2.15%. European stock markets ended the week in the red.

The price of Brent oil for delivery in May rose by 4.22%, reaching 112.57 dollars, exceeding 110 dollars for the first time since Monday’s crash, and American WTI surged by 5.46%, reaching 99.64 dollars. In post-settlement trading on the oil market (18:30 GMT), it exceeded the symbolic threshold of 100 dollars.

The yield on U.S. 10-year bonds tightened further to 4.48% from 4.42% the previous day at closing, as investors fear inflation risks and demand higher interest rates for lending.

Energy surge: European ministers to meet on Tuesday
European Union energy ministers will meet on Tuesday via video conference to discuss “energy supply security”, announced Cyprus, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency. American-Israeli strikes against Iran and Tehran’s response in the Gulf have driven up global oil prices, as Iran maintains control over this crucial maritime route for international trade.

France announces fuel subsidies
The French government announced “targeted subsidies” in April for sectors most affected by the rise in fuel prices. Struggling small road transport businesses and fishermen will receive an aid of 20 cents per liter of fuel, while agricultural diesel will be tax-exempt for a period. In total, the government announced around 50 million euros in aid next month for the transportation sector. “We’re given a slight relief. But we must not be fooled into thinking that it will be enough to get the industry out of the string of crises it’s facing,” reacted José Jouneau, president of the fishing union, to AFP.

Despite the announcements, truck drivers demonstrated on the A7 highway south of Lyon on Saturday, and farmers in Marne protested to denounce the fuel price increases and demand more significant aid than the one announced the previous day. Twenty-five trucks and a bus participated in a filtering blockade at Chasse-sur-Rhône (Isère), leaving only one lane open in the South-North direction between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Their action caused “serious traffic delays,” with up to 9 kilometers of traffic jams, according to Vinci Autoroutes.