Overview
- - The de facto shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz is lifting fuel costs, and Economy Minister Katherina Reiche warned supplies could run short by late April or May if the conflict continues.
- - UN trade officials say shipping insurance has jumped and about one third of seaborne fertilizer trade is blocked, which threatens harvests and food security in poorer countries.
- - Germany’s IMK outlined two paths for 2026, with growth near 0.9% if energy prices ease or about 0.2% with inflation above 3% if the conflict persists, and it warned energy‑intensive firms face faster factory decline.
- - Following recent state‑election losses, SPD leaders are gathering Friday in Berlin for a high‑level meeting to secure a mandate for fast negotiations on a reform package.
- - SPD co‑leader Lars Klingbeil is pitching measures to raise work participation, including ending spousal income splitting for future marriages, as a TV debate set a tight calendar for care, the federal budget and pensions by early summer.