World Business Report "Work from home and limit flights", urges IEA, as fuel crisis deepens
Mar 20, 2026
Randeep Samel, an M&G fund manager who tracks energy markets and market reactions. Anne-Sophie Corbeau, an energy policy expert on infrastructure risks and geopolitics. They discuss IEA calls to cut demand, risks from Gulf attacks and Strait of Hormuz disruptions, market volatility in oil and gas, and knock-on effects for supplies, shipping and food chains.
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Cut Travel And Commute To Curb Fuel Crisis
- The IEA urges governments and people to reduce oil demand now to limit market disruption.
- Recommendations include encouraging work from home and cutting road speed limits by 10 km/h to lower immediate fuel consumption.
Current Energy Shock Surpasses Past Crises
- Fatih Birol warns the current disruption is larger than the 1970s oil shocks and post-Ukraine gas shock.
- It affects not just oil and gas but fertilizers and petrochemicals, amplifying global economic risk.
Higher Energy Prices Threaten Inflation And Rates
- Energy markets are volatile with Brent around $106 and rising gas prices driving market weakness.
- Rising energy costs push inflation higher, which could force interest rates up despite a prior declining trend.