Oil prices rose on April 20, 2026, after former US President Donald Trump claimed on social media that an Iranian vessel had been seized in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s statement triggered immediate market reaction despite lack of confirmation
Brent crude futures increased by 2.3% to $87.40 per barrel within minutes of the post, while West Texas Intermediate climbed 2.1% to $83.10, according to trading data cited by MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic.
For more on this story, see Iran blocks Strait of Hormuz and disrupts global oil markets.
Markets remain sensitive to geopolitical rhetoric rather than physical supply conditions
Kavonic noted that price movements continue to respond to oscillating social media exchanges between US and Iranian officials, not to actual disruptions in oil flows, which remain tricky to restore quickly due to ongoing regional tensions.
