Middle East crude exports hit post-war high despite Hormuz attacks; diesel bottleneck persists

Middle East crude exports reached their highest level in September since the war with Iran began, despite Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to shipping and commodity data. This indicates supply resilience, but a refinery bottleneck continues to drive record diesel prices in the EU and US, suggesting a structural imbalance in refined products rather than crude supply.