Iran ceasefire deal looks closer by the day — bet on oil prices heading even lower
Oil prices have already fallen 20% from their 2026 peak, and they dropped again today after President Trump said a ceasefire deal with Iran is close. If the Strait of Hormuz — the world's most important oil shipping lane — reopens, supply would flood back and prices could keep falling.
Idea
The Iran conflict has been the main thing keeping oil prices elevated since February, when the Strait of Hormuz shutdown triggered a global energy shock. Now Trump is publicly saying a deal is close, and oil has already dropped 20% from its peak on that hope alone. If an actual ceasefire is announced, the Strait reopens and the supply shock reverses — that could send oil meaningfully lower. Even if the deal is delayed, the market is clearly pricing in resolution, which means any further negative headlines for oil have room to push prices down more. Energy stocks like those in the XLE fund tend to track oil closely, so they offer a related way to play the same theme.