BRENT — Brent crude surges past $100/bbl as dual shipping chokepoints double freight rates

Brent crude futures have crossed the psychological $100 per barrel mark amid a severe escalation in global shipping disruptions. A dual-chokepoint bottleneck in West Asia has caused freight rates to double, with container costs from India to Europe jumping from $1,700 to $3,500. The surge in both oil and logistics costs is expected to fuel broad inflationary pressures across global markets.