Overview
- President Donald Trump said on Aug. 18 that the United States is not holding talks with Iran, a statement Tehran rejected as its negotiator said the strait will stay restricted until U.S. demands are met.
- Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been sharply reduced and Reuters cited a recent incident in which a vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile, signaling continued supply risk for global energy flows.
- Brent crude rose above $91 per barrel as traders priced in tighter oil availability, a move that could raise fuel and transport costs and feed into inflation measures watched by the Federal Reserve.
- Bitcoin traded around $64,600 while Strategy (MSTR) reported no Bitcoin purchases or sales for Aug. 10–16, leaving its holdings unchanged at 840,447 BTC and pausing a recent source of market flow.
- A White House meeting on Aug. 19 is set to bring major crypto firms and regulators together as U.S. lawmakers have stalled the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act, making regulatory clarity and liquidity the next issues to watch.