Shell plc

Naturgy Energy Group, S.A.

E.ON SE

Enel SpA

TotalEnergies SE

Exxon Mobil Corporation

EDP, S.A.

Engie SA

RWE Aktiengesellschaft

Iberdrola, S.A.

Ministers of key EU countries - Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria - <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/five-eu-finance-ministers-call-windfall-profit-tax-energy-companies-2026-04-04/">have called for</a> the introduction of a pan-European tax on excess profits of energy companies. By design, a windfall tax could ease the burden on consumers. For investors, this means the risk of pressure on dividends, share buyback programs and free cash flow in the sector.

Tax on excess profits for oil producers: what is the risk of the EU initiative for investors? 

CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY

BYD Company Limited

The shock caused by the cessation of oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf countries can lead to radical changes in the global energy market. This is exactly what has happened after previous crises. Electrification and green transition will accelerate, and investors can capitalize on the companies associated with these trends.

New momentum: How the energy crisis is accelerating the transition to green energy

Physical North Sea crude oil prices rose to a record high on the back of Iran's continued control of the Strait of Hormuz, adding to market anxiety, <a href="http://ft.com/content/f04ad855-81e3-49c5-827e-d3c4acb901c9">says the</a> Financial Times (FT).

North Sea Forties Blend oil prices hit a high due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

Physical North Sea crude oil prices have risen sharply, suggesting a continued supply shortage in the market, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/key-oil-prices-soar-showing-supply-is-tight-despite-iran-war-ceasefire?embedded-checkout=true">notes</a>. Despite a U.S.-Iran truce to restore traffic in the key Strait of Hormuz for global trade and already causing the value of oil futures to collapse, real oil supplies remain expensive and are selling at a large premium to core prices, the agency said.

North Sea oil price premiums jump despite US-Iran truce

Major U.S. equity market indexes trimmed most or even all of the day's losses by the close of trading on Tuesday, April 7. Half an hour before the end of the session and more than four hours before the deadline the U.S. president announced to Iran, Pakistan, which is mediating the talks, <a href="https://x.com/CMShehbaz/status/2041596151108137363?s=20">asked</a> Donald Trump <a href="https://x.com/CMShehbaz/status/2041596151108137363?s=20">for</a> a two-week delay. At the same time, it urged the Iranian leadership to open the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks "as a goodwill gesture" and for both sides to honor the truce during those two weeks.White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said Trump was "briefed on the proposal and a response will follow," The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-2026-trump-deadline-latest-news/card/pakistan-calls-for-two-week-deadline-extension-and-cease-fire-UsAn34TVch47OgoDYatB">reported</a>. The U.S. and Iran are in the midst of "intense negotiations," the U.S. leader <a href="https://x.com/JacquiHeinrich/status/2041605565789454658">told</a> Fox News by phone, promising to comment on Pakistan's request later.

Trump asked to delay ultimatum to Iran: S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq recouped losses

Major U.S. stock indexes, despite volatility during the day amid U.S. and Iranian statements, managed to stay in the green zone, continuing the growth that began last week. The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ended up posting their longest series of gains since January, according to Dow Jones Market Data <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-500-and-nasdaq-set-for-mixed-start-as-iran-war-stretches-into-sixth-week?mod=home_lead">cited</a> by MarketWatch.

"Light at the end of the tunnel": S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq posted their longest streak of gains since January

Tesla, Inc.

Unilever PLC

McCormick & Company, Incorporated

US President Donald Trump said that the war with Iran is <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/tramp-ne-skazal-kogda-zakoncitsa-vojna-v-irane-ekonomika-uze-nastroilas-na-krizis">close to being over</a>, but promised new strikes against the country in the next two to three weeks. He also shifted the responsibility for unblocking the Strait of Hormuz to other countries. SpaceX is preparing the largest IPO in history, counting on a valuation of over $2 trillion. Job growth in the U.S. in March almost three times exceeded analysts' expectations, but there are also some worrying signals in the statistics. You can read about the main events from March 30 to April 3 in our review.

SpaceX IPO, oil at its highest since 2008, unexpectedly strong US job growth - top stories of the week

Oil prices in the short term may rise to $120-130 per barrel, and if the disruption of supplies through the Strait of Hormuz until mid-Ma - to exceed $150, according to analysts at JPMorgan, their opinion <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/jp-morgan-warns-oil-could-top-150-if-disruptions-persist-into-midmay-2026-04-02/">quotes</a> Reuters.

JPMorgan allowed oil prices to rise above $150 per barrel

Chord Energy Corporation

Matador Resources Company

Kinetik Holdings Inc.

USA Compression Partners, LP

The Iran crisis has reminded investors just how unpredictable the oil market can be. After the Strait of Hormuz was closed in March, Brent crude <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/business/economics/article/strait-of-hormuz-closure-threatens-brent-crude-100-surge-w3sxph3pl#:~:text=The%20Middle%20East%20conflict%20pushed%20Brent%20crude%20to%20%24119.50%20a%20barrel%20for%20the%20first%20time%20since%202022%20but%20prices%20fell%20back%20on%20reports%20that%20the%20G7%20will%20intervene">surged</a>&nbsp;to $120 per barrel, while Dubai crude briefly <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/19/166-a-barrel-middle-east-oil-gives-clue-to-where-all-prices-could-be-headed-if-iran-war-drags-on.html#:~:text=Dubai%2520crude%2520oil%2520prices%2520surpassed%2520%2524166%2520a%2520barrel%2520to%2520a%2520new%2520record%2520high%2520on%2520Thursday%252C%2520according%2520to%2520market%2520data%2520provider%2520Platts">hit</a>&nbsp;a record above $166 per barrel. The International Energy Agency <a href="https://www.iea.org/news/new-iea-report-highlights-options-to-ease-oil-price-pressures-on-consumers-in-response-to-middle-east-supply-disruptions#:~:text=The%2520war%2520in%2520the%2520Middle%2520East%2520is,said%2520IEA%2520Executive%2520Director%2520Fatih%2520Birol.">called</a>&nbsp;it the largest oil supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.

Two strategies, four stocks that can grow at any oil price

The world's most important indicator of real world oil prices Dated Brent at trading on April 2 exceeded $140 per barrel. This is the highest value since 2008.

Key global physical oil price soars to highest since 2008

Chevron Corporation

ConocoPhillips

The cost of May futures for Mark WTI oil jumped by more than 10%, breaking the $110 per barrel mark. June contracts for the benchmark Mark Brent also rose sharply and are trading above $109 per barrel. Prices were again boosted by an overnight speech by US President Donald Trump, who <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/tramp-ne-skazal-kogda-zakoncitsa-vojna-v-irane-ekonomika-uze-nastroilas-na-krizis" target="_blank">said</a> he expects the conflict in the Middle East to continue for another two to three weeks and announced "extremely strong strikes" against Iran.

WTI crude oil price has exceeded $110 per barrel, Brent is near that mark

Neither governments nor businesses are yet implementing long-term solutions to adapt to a potential crisis