The war involving Iran has become far more than a regional security crisis. By disrupting the Strait of Hormuz and destabilizing energy, shipping, and insurance markets, it is now hitting the physical and financial plumbing of global trade.

The main message from the FT Commodities Global Summit in Lausanne was that the market is no longer being shaped by supply and demand alone. Traders, producers and policymakers are now operating in a world defined by geopolitics, sanctions risk, tariffs, de-dollarisation, shifting alliances and increasingly volatile trade routes. Reuters’ coverage from the summit shows a sector that is still profit-driven, but far more cautious about where barrels, cargoes and capital will fl

The war involving Iran is no longer a distant geopolitical shock for the aluminium industry. It is now a direct market force, tightening supply, lifting premiums, and exposing just how fragile global aluminium logistics can be when one strategic corridor comes under pressure. For producers, traders, and industrial buyers, the implications go far beyond a temporary price spike.