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Financial News September 13, 2026: Saudi Stocks Sink as Oil-Supply Threat Deepens

Saudi Arabia’s stock market suffered its steepest decline since April as damage to the kingdom’s East-West pipeline threatened as much as 4% of global oil supply. New attacks near the Strait of Hormuz increased the risk of another crude-price surge before a pivotal Federal Reserve meeting.

By North American Talk Radio Staff | September 13, 2026

Market information current as of approximately 3 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, September 13. Saudi and other Gulf trading results are completed. U.S., European, bond and commodity markets are closed; cryptocurrency and geopolitical developments remain live.

Saudi Arabian shares recorded their largest decline in more than five months Sunday as investors confronted the possibility that damage to the kingdom’s East-West pipeline could temporarily remove as much as 4% of global oil supply.

The Tadawul All Share Index fell 1.3%. Saudi Aramco declined 1.6%, Saudi Arabian Mining lost 3.2% and refinery-products company Luberef plunged 10%.

The selloff followed Saturday’s closure of the East-West pipeline, a critical 745-mile route used to transport approximately 4 million barrels of crude per day from eastern Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea.

Another commercial vessel was struck near the Strait of Hormuz Sunday, while Houthi forces consolidated their position around the Bab el-Mandeb shipping corridor.

American oil and stock markets are closed, leaving traders unable to price those developments directly. Brent crude last settled at $104.61 per barrel Friday, while West Texas Intermediate finished at $100.05.

Saudi Stocks Fall After Pipeline Attack

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index completed Sunday’s session 1.3% lower, its steepest decline since early April.

Saudi Aramco fell 1.6%, while Al Rajhi Bank declined 1.2%. Saudi Arabian Mining Company lost 3.2%.

Saudi Aramco Base Oil Company, known as Luberef, reached its 10% daily decline limit as investors assessed the consequences of reduced crude deliveries and disrupted refining operations.

The pipeline attack also weighed on surrounding Gulf exchanges, reflecting concern that the regional conflict is no longer limited to Iranian exports or vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia has reserved the right to defend its infrastructure but had not announced immediate military retaliation by Sunday afternoon.

Reuters reported Sunday’s completed Saudi and Gulf market movements.

Pipeline Outage Threatens 4% of Global Oil Supply

The East-West pipeline had recently carried approximately 4 million barrels per day, equal to roughly 4% of global petroleum supply.

The system connects Abqaiq, near Saudi Arabia’s eastern production centers, with the Red Sea port of Yanbu. It allowed the kingdom to bypass restrictions and attacks affecting tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi authorities have not provided a definitive repair schedule.

Industry estimates vary substantially. If the shutdown lasts longer than one week, stored crude at Yanbu could be depleted within approximately five to seven days. Saudi Arabia has limited additional inventories at Egyptian terminals in Ain Sukhna and Sidi Kerir.

The outage is especially consequential because Saudi production had already fallen from approximately 10.9 million barrels per day in February to 6.2 million in August, its lowest level in more than three decades.

The International Energy Agency expects global petroleum supply to decline 5.7 million barrels per day during 2026 as conflict, damaged infrastructure and transportation restrictions reduce output.

Reuters examined the pipeline’s capacity, available inventories and potential effect on global supply.

New Attack Strikes Vessel Near Hormuz

A projectile struck another commercial ship near the Strait of Hormuz Sunday, reportedly causing casualties and further increasing concern about maritime security.

The incident arrived one day after Saudi Arabia closed its pipeline and after Houthi forces seized Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

Iran and Gulf governments are expected to meet in Oman to discuss safe passage through Hormuz. However, no binding agreement had emerged Sunday.

Iran continues to demand conditions involving control, inspections or fees for ships using the waterway. Gulf governments remain reluctant to accept any arrangement that would formalize Iranian control over international navigation.

The worsening shipping environment creates simultaneous threats to two of the world’s principal maritime corridors:

• Hormuz carries petroleum and liquefied natural gas from Persian Gulf producers.
• Bab el-Mandeb links Red Sea and Suez Canal traffic with the Indian Ocean.
• Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline was intended to bypass Hormuz but depends on access to Red Sea terminals.

Reuters reported the latest vessel attack and escalating threats to regional shipping.

Oil Prices Could Jump When Trading Resumes

Friday’s completed oil prices do not reflect the pipeline shutdown or Sunday’s new attack.

Brent crude fell 2.8% Friday to settle at $104.61 per barrel. It still gained 8.7% for the week after reaching $109.97 during Friday trading.

West Texas Intermediate declined $2.43 to $100.05, ending an eight-session winning streak but completing a weekly gain of 9.4%.

Friday’s retreat reflected profit-taking, weaker demand forecasts and optimism that regional negotiations might improve access to Hormuz.

The weekend’s developments weaken that optimistic case.

Oil’s reopening movement will depend primarily on three questions:

• How long the Saudi pipeline remains unavailable.
• Whether stored crude at Yanbu can maintain exports.
• Whether additional ships attempt voyages through Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb.

A swift pipeline restart could limit price increases. Evidence of extensive damage or another round of attacks could push Brent back toward—or beyond—Friday’s $109.97 high.

American Diesel Exceeds $6.20 Per Gallon

The U.S. average diesel price has surpassed $6.20 per gallon, according to figures cited by Reuters.

Diesel prices matter throughout the economy because trucks, trains, ships, farm equipment and construction machinery depend on the fuel.

Higher transportation costs can raise prices for food, retail merchandise, building materials and manufactured goods even when consumer demand is weakening.

The recent energy shock has already appeared in inflation data:

• Consumer prices rose 0.4% in August and 3.4% from a year earlier.
• Producer prices climbed 0.4% for the month and 5.4% annually.
• Wholesale diesel prices increased 24.1% in August and 78% over 12 months.

A prolonged Saudi supply disruption could place additional pressure on September and October inflation readings.

Friday’s Completed Wall Street Results

U.S. markets are closed Sunday. Friday’s official closing results remain the latest available.

The S&P 500 gained 0.86% to 7,656.98.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 509.19 points, or 0.98%, to 52,573.29.

The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.96% to 26,333.04, while the Russell 2000 gained 0.4% to 2,903.94.

Friday’s rebound followed four consecutive declining sessions. Lower oil prices and renewed interest in artificial-intelligence infrastructure supported the recovery.

All four indexes still finished lower for the week:

• S&P 500: down 0.8%.
• Dow Jones: down 1.6%.
• Nasdaq: down 0.7%.
• Russell 2000: down 2.4%.

The Associated Press published Friday’s completed U.S. index results.

Federal Reserve Faces Inflation and Political Pressure

The Federal Reserve begins its two-day policy meeting Tuesday and announces its decision Wednesday, September 16.

Interest-rate futures ended Friday indicating an approximately 87% probability of a quarter-point increase.

A hike would move the federal-funds target from 3.50%–3.75% to 3.75%–4%.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States should have the world’s lowest interest rates, regardless of economic data. He acknowledged uncertainty about the coming decision but reiterated his preference for lower borrowing costs.

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Trump supports Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s independence, while acknowledging that the president would be unhappy with a rate increase.

The central bank’s economic case points in the opposite direction from Trump’s preference. Employment strengthened in August, consumer prices accelerated and energy costs threaten to remain elevated.

The unusual conflict adds another complication: higher rates cannot repair pipelines or reopen shipping lanes, but the Fed may tighten policy to prevent energy inflation from becoming embedded throughout the economy.

Reuters reported Trump’s comments and the administration’s position on Fed independence.

Treasury Yield Ends Near 5%

The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield finished Friday at approximately 4.97%, after approaching 5% during the session.

The two-year yield ended near 4.63%. The 30-year yield remained close to a 19-year high.

Markets are closed Sunday, so Treasury prices have not responded to the weekend’s energy developments.

The Saudi pipeline disruption creates competing forces for bonds. Inflation concerns could push yields higher, while escalating military danger could create safe-haven demand for Treasury securities and lower yields.

The decisive factor may be oil. A sharp increase would strengthen expectations for additional Fed tightening beyond September and could force the 10-year yield above 5%.

Anthropic Reportedly Chooses Nasdaq for IPO

Anthropic has selected Nasdaq for a potential initial public offering, Business Insider reported Sunday.

Reuters said it had not independently confirmed all details of the report.

Choosing an exchange does not establish the IPO’s size, valuation or timing, but it would represent a meaningful step toward one of the technology industry’s most closely watched public listings.

The reported decision came one day after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called on leading AI companies to slow the development of increasingly powerful models while stronger safety systems are established.

The juxtaposition illustrates Anthropic’s central tension. The company wants access to public capital while warning that commercial competition could encourage developers to advance capabilities faster than safety practices can keep pace.

Reuters reported Anthropic’s reported Nasdaq selection.

Canadian Index Rules Could Help Anglo-Teck

S&P Dow Jones Indices loosened eligibility rules for companies seeking inclusion in its Canadian stock indexes.

The revised methodology could allow Anglo-Teck, the major copper producer created through a corporate combination, to enter one or more S&P/TSX benchmarks.

Index inclusion can produce significant automatic buying because investment funds tracking the benchmark must purchase qualifying shares.

The development is especially relevant after copper recently reached a record price, supported by data-center construction, electrical-grid expansion and limited mine supply.

Reuters reported the Canadian index-rule changes and their possible implications.

Yen Speculators Turn Bullish

Speculators became net long on the Japanese yen for the first time since February, Commodity Futures Trading Commission data showed.

Net non-commercial positions reached 10,796 long contracts during the week ended September 8. One week earlier, speculators held a net short position of 92,227 contracts.

The reversal followed the yen’s appreciation to 152.89 per dollar, its strongest level since mid-February.

Traders expect the Bank of Japan to accelerate interest-rate increases, while Japanese investors may repatriate overseas assets. Tokyo and Washington have also demonstrated a willingness to intervene jointly against excessive yen weakness.

The shift matters beyond currency markets. Investors have frequently borrowed inexpensive yen to finance purchases of stocks and higher-yielding bonds in other countries. Unwinding those trades can amplify global market volatility.

Reuters reported the CFTC positioning data and reasons for the change in sentiment.

Gold and Other Commodities Await Monday Trading

Spot gold finished Friday near $4,363 per ounce, gaining more than 1% for the day but declining approximately 1.5% for the week.

U.S. gold futures settled at $4,408.90.

The pipeline outage and new shipping attack could renew safe-haven demand when metals markets reopen. However, an additional increase in Treasury yields would limit gold’s appeal because the metal pays no interest.

Copper’s longer-term outlook remains supported by AI data centers, electricity networks and industrial investment. A severe oil shock could nevertheless weaken economic growth and reduce near-term demand for industrial commodities.

Bitcoin Holds Near $77,300

Bitcoin traded near $77,335 as of approximately 3 p.m. Eastern Sunday, gaining about 0.3% from its previous close. It moved between approximately $76,532 and $77,365 during the session.

Ethereum declined roughly 0.5% to $2,509, after trading between approximately $2,465 and $2,527.

The restrained response suggests cryptocurrency traders have not yet positioned for a severe worsening of the oil shortage.

Crypto faces conflicting pressures. Geopolitical and currency instability can support interest in decentralized assets, but higher interest rates and Treasury yields reduce demand for investments that produce no contractual income.

Financial Market Outlook

The Saudi pipeline shutdown has become the most immediate test for global markets.

Before the attack, traders could reasonably assume that Saudi Arabia would offset restricted Hormuz traffic by transporting crude west to the Red Sea. That alternative is now uncertain precisely as Houthi forces threaten the Red Sea exit.

The major events to watch are:

• Oil futures reopening Sunday evening.
• Any Saudi estimate for pipeline repairs.
• Crude inventories remaining at Yanbu.
• Additional attacks near Hormuz or Bab el-Mandeb.
• Tuesday’s start of the Federal Reserve meeting.
• Wednesday’s Fed decision and economic projections.
• Thursday’s Bank of Japan decision.

Friday’s stock rally demonstrated that investors remain eager to buy technology and growth companies when oil retreats. Sunday’s Saudi-market decline provided an equally clear warning: markets remain highly vulnerable whenever physical energy supplies are threatened.

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