CNN reported, citing two unnamed US officials familiar with operations, that the US military escorted 40 merchant ships carrying 18 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the largest such traffic since the conflict began. ^[1] US attacks on five Iranian provinces, described as the hardest in over a month, killed nearly twenty people, and Iran responded with bombings against four Persian Gulf countries. ^[2] US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Wednesday that more than 17 million barrels of oil crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the highest volume since the war with Iran began in late February. ^[3] WTI crude futures for October opened at $91.96 per barrel on Thursday, up 1.04% or $0.95 from the previous close. ^[4] As of September 4, 2026, WTI crude oil traded at $89.78 per barrel, up 56.5% year-to-date. ^[5] Copa Airlines, a Panama-based carrier, reported an 18.6% net margin for fiscal year 2025, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.5x, and 29.8% fair value upside, making it the cheapest and most profitable airline in the screen. ^[6] U.S. airline fares rose 25.5% year-over-year in July 2026. ^[7] United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby stated that the airline expects to recover 100% of higher fuel costs in Q4 2026 through gradual fare increases, and described demand as 'very strong across the board.' ^[8]