US Oil Exports to Asia Hit Multi-Year Low as Tanker Costs Surge

Record tanker lease costs of nearly $80 million for US-China crude routes are crushing export demand, sending shipments to multi-year lows after Iran war disrupted global shipping. Higher energy costs feed into US inflation expectations and reinforce the consumer-cost headwinds already weakening confidence; traders watch flash PMI and consumer sentiment tomorrow to gauge demand impact on Fed rate path.