Capital Markets Authority ordered a two-day suspension of trading on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market for March 2–3 after Iranian strikes targeted major regional ports and oil tankers.
The shutdown followed attacks that effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which roughly 20 million barrels of oil per day and nearly 20% of global LNG exports transit, raising fears of severe energy market disruption.
Officials said the halt was not a public holiday but a precautionary move to prevent panic selling, while Israel extended its state of emergency through March 12, 2026 as regional tensions escalated.
Analysis from Kobeissi Letter suggested that a sustained closure of Hormuz could push oil prices above $100 per barrel and drive US consumer price inflation towards 5%, intensifying pressure on policymakers already grappling with elevated energy costs.
War-risk insurance premiums have reportedly risen by around 50%, adding hundreds of thousands of dollars per voyage and slowing trade flows, as shipping firms reroute vessels around Africa, extending delivery times by 10 to 14 days and straining just-in-time supply chains.