ASX briefings — Monday 20 April 2026

Weekend Hormuz reclosure erases Friday's oil relief; Brent US$96.88

Weekend geopolitics reversed Friday's record Wall Street rally. Iran's IRGC reshut the Strait of Hormuz on 18 April, one day after declaring it 'completely open'; USS Spruance fired into the engine room of the Iranian cargo ship Touska on 19 April. Brent jumped to US$96.88 (+11.6% on Friday's US$86.84 settle), WTI to US$90.33 (+13.2%). ASX 200 finished 8,946.9 (-0.09%) on 17 April; SPI futures settled 9,060 (+0.99%) Friday-night before the weekend escalation.