The catastrophic economic consequences of the war that erupted in the Middle East since February 28th continue, and despite the announcement of a truce on Tuesday-Wednesday night between Iran and the United States, doubts about its durability have cast a dark shadow over global markets. European stock markets saw a notable decline on Thursday, as the initial wave of relief dissipated, replaced by fears of widespread Israeli strikes on Lebanon. In the energy market, prices resumed their rise as investors awaited the actual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz; where West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude jumped by 5.05% to reach $99.18 per barrel, while Brent crude rose by 3.85% to $98.40. The European Union, through its spokesperson Anuar El-Anoni, announced its firm rejection of the idea of imposing transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, affirming that navigation is free under international law. For his part, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described these fees as ...