Qatar’s liquefied natural gas loadings climbed to their highest level since March on Aug. 11, a sign the country may be preparing for a possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. At Ras Laffan port, average daily LNG loadings were about 80,000 tons, according to the report. Even so, that level remained roughly 60% below the same period last year, showing that exports have not yet returned to normal levels. The report also said seven of Qatar’s 14 LNG production trains have shown signs of resuming operations, pointing to a gradual recovery in output after disruptions caused by the conflict. Still, a full rebound in exports depends on whether shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz can fully resume. Diplomatic talks tied to that issue are still underway, but there is no assurance that an agreement will be reached.

China’s July 10 ban on helium exports has drawn fresh attention to a material that rarely makes semiconductor headlines but remains essential to advanced chipmaking. Helium is used in plasma etching, leak detection, purge processes and thermal management inside fabs, with electronic-grade helium requiring purity as high as 99.9999%. The move comes as the global helium market has tightened sharply in 2025. According to the source material, Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial hub — a major global helium production center — was hit by attacks that halted output and damaged export capacity, while roughly 200 liquid-helium containers were stranded in the Middle East. Russia has shifted helium exports outside the Eurasian Economic Union to a government licensing regime starting in April 2026, and the US previously sold off its federal helium reserve. China remains heavily dependent on imports. In 2025, the country’s total helium supply was about 5,818 tons, including 4,913 tons of imports and around 905 tons of domestic output, implying external dependence of 84.4%. Against that backdrop, Beijing said the export ban was aimed at securing domestic supply. The episode also highlights China’s slower but ongoing push to produce high-purity helium from LNG boil-off gas, even though local self-sufficiency remains below 20%.

After a coordinated US-Israeli strike on Iran killed the Supreme Leader and shut the Strait of Hormuz, gold surged above $5,400 and crude oil jumped 13%. Bitcoin flash-crashed to $63,000 in a weekend air pocket.

Missile strike on world's largest LNG terminal in Qatar sends Brent crude above $112, crypto market cap drops 4.3%. Bitcoin tests $70K support after $139M in liquidations.

Binance Research said a strike on Iranian energy assets, a hotter-than-expected U.S. PPI report, and a hawkish Fed message hit markets at once, sending bitcoin, gold, and equities lower in a broad risk-off move.

Micron posted a blockbuster quarter, but investor sentiment weakened as the attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex raised concerns over helium and LNG supply. Rising input and energy costs could pressure margins and complicate Micron’s expansion plans.