It's one choke point after another in the global economy
"Choke point" is having a moment.Why it matters: The term is an increasingly popular shorthand for the bottlenecks tying up the oil market and the AI buildout — and sometimes the entire economy — as the old global economic order gives way to intensifying competition and outright war. Where it stands: The latest choke point is in the Red Sea.
Reported by 1 outlet — Axios. See all sources ↓
"Choke point" is having a moment.Why it matters: The term is an increasingly popular shorthand for the bottlenecks tying up the oil market and the AI buildout — and sometimes the entire economy — as the old global economic order gives way to intensifying competition and outright war. Where it stands: The latest choke point is in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has been routing more oil there via pipeline, bypassing the OG choke point in the Strait of Hormuz. Now, Iranian-backed Houthi militants are targeting Saudi ships, threatening traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — which has seen increased oil flows, about 5.7% of the world's oil in the first three months of 2026, up from around 3.5% over the same period last year, according to Axios' calculation of EIA data.The big picture: "Middle East risk has become a two-choke-point problem," commodities researchers at Standard Chartered Bank wrote this week.Energy prices have surged, with Brent crude trading above $100 a barrel Thursday.Zoom in: Eddie Fishman saw it coming.
Read the full report at Axios ↗
Why it matters
A world story we're tracking; its significance and source trust firm up as more outlets confirm it.
- What's the story?
- "Choke point" is having a moment.Why it matters: The term is an increasingly popular shorthand for the bottlenecks tying up the oil market and the AI buildout — and sometimes the entire economy — as the old global economic order gives way to intensifying competition and outright war. Where it stands: The latest choke point is in the Red Sea.
- How widely is it covered?
- 1 outlet, average source rating 7.0/10.
- When was it last updated?
- 4m ago.
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It's one choke point after another in the global economy
Sources1TypeCoverageAxios